


The New Spider of Tokyo

by asdf0789



Category: Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 08:22:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 105
Words: 190,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25966573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asdf0789/pseuds/asdf0789
Summary: Ren Amamiya was on a school trip when he was bitten by a radioactive spider, but there can't be two Spider-Men...Right? Ren will have to learn the ropes to being Spider-Man and battle against his own rogues gallery all while trying to balance a school and social life.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Amamiya Ren/Niijima Sae, Amamiya Ren/Okumura Haru, Amamiya Ren/Sakura Futaba, Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Amamiya Ren/Takemi Tae, Amamiya Ren/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Kawakami Sadayo/Persona 5 Protagonist, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Sae, Kurusu Akira/Sakura Futaba, Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Takemi Tae, Kurusu Akira/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist, Niijima Sae/Persona 5 Protagonist, Okumura Haru/Persona 5 Protagonist, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakura Futaba, Persona 5 Protagonist/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Protagonist/Takemi Tae
Comments: 360
Kudos: 383





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First attempt at writing, made a crossover of my two favorite games on the PS4; Persona 5 and Marvel's Spider-Man. I'm a big fan of Marvel comics and movies and have just recently gotten into the Persona series. In this story Yu Narukami of Persona 4 is basically Peter Parker and Ren Amamiya of Persona 5 is basically Miles Morales. Ships will be Ren x harem.

This is a fan story written in the world of, and using the characters of the Persona series while taking elements from various Spider-Man media. I do not own the rights to any of the characters. This story is a work in progress and is being updated at a pace convenient to me. Any and all criticism is welcome.

[1]

Ren Amamiya was having a terrible day, the school trip to Shido Sciences had sounded interesting, but not being allowed to see any actual science happening made the trip incredibly boring. The other students looked as bored as him and even the teacher and chaperone Ms. Kawakami wasn't paying any attention to the tour guide.

"Duuuuude this suuuucks." Ren's best friend at Shujin Academy, Ryuji Sakamato, complained to him. Ryuji wasn't even interested in science to begin with so he looked the worst of the group.

"What do you want me to do about it? I'm stuck here too. And keep your voice down, Kawakami is looking our way." Ren responded

Ryuji was one of Ren's current two friends. He was considered a delinquent by the student body and staff due to his low grades, his appearance of dyed blonde hair and complete disregard for the student dress code as well as a violent encounter with the school's gym coach which ended with Ryuji's leg getting broken. In him, Ren found a kindred spirit who knew what it meant to be an outsider as Ren's own past wasn't too dissimilar. One would think by looking at him that Ryuji would be one to start trouble in any situation, but as Ren came to know him he found that Ryuji was a loyal friend with a heart bigger than his brain.

"What's even the point in comin' here if they're just gonna talk and not show any cool stuff?"

"Would you rather be in class right now?"

"...Okay good point. But I'm still pissed." Ryuji looked over and noticed two scientists in hazmat suits leaving a room. He looked over and saw that Ms. Kawakami's attention was on her phone now and no longer paying them any mind. He tapped Ren's shoulder and pointed over to the room the scientists had exited.

"Hey man there might be somethin' interesting over there, let's check it out." He whispered

"Let's just stick with the group, I don't want to get in trouble." Ren replied

"We're not gonna! No one cares what's going here. Plus if anyone sees us we'll just say we got lost looking for the bathroom."

Ren debated with himself, it had been a pretty shitty week, multiple exams, long hours at Leblanc, and his phone had gotten cracked on the subway, this trip was the one thing he had been looking forward to and it was the biggest letdown yet.

If he was going to salvage this tour he needed to do something to cure his boredom.

"Fine you can take a quick peek inside and let me know if there's something worth seeing."

"Alright but you keep watch."

They subtly broke away from the group and made their way over to the room which was shockingly unlocked.

"The researchers must be coming back soon so let's be quick." Ren quietly informed Ryuji who was already peeking through the door.

"Dude come see this!" Ryuji told Ren as he entered the room

Ren glanced around ensuring that the coast was clear before entering the room himself. When he entered the room he was shocked to see next to no tech or equipment but a small, dimly lit room with every wall covered in glass containers, though the content of them couldn't be seen.

"What do you think's in these?" Ryuji asked, pulling out his phone and turning on the flashlight and examining the container closely. All of the sudden a large spider slammed up against the glass, causing Ryuji to stumble backwards right into Ren who knocked over a container on a table. The container didn't break when it fell but the lid came off and spiders began spilling out onto the floor.

"Shit!" Ren began grabbing spiders and frantically tossing them back into the box.

"Help me!" He yelled to Ryuji who was cowering as far away as possible.

"N-no way dude you knocked it over, you pick it up!"

Ren scooped up the last of the spiders and shoved them into their container quickly shutting the lid.

"You're the worst." He said, glaring at his friend "C'mon let's get out of here." The two quickly left the room without being seen and joined back up with their tour group.

"Where have you idiots been? The tour's almost over!" Ann, Ren's only other friend at school and the third member of their trio, questioned the pair as they returned.

"Bathroom." They answered in unison

Ann rolled her eyes and turned back to the tour guide who was guiding them towards the lobby.

Ann was the only other student at Shujin Academy who gave Ren the time of day. This surprised him initially as Ann had all the makings of a popular girl in school, a beautiful girl with natural blonde hair worn up in oversized pigtails, she was very stylish and had a kind personality so Ren was baffled to find that she was almost as disliked as him. As it turned out, Ann had been the victim of some cruel rumors accusing her of sleeping with teachers for good grades.

He'd only gotten to know the person behind the rumors because he sat directly behind her in class and got to talking with her one day.

Ryuji turned to Ren and whispered "Dude, I'm shocked you handled those spiders like it was nothin' aint you scared of 'em?"

"I was more scared of getting caught." Ren responded. "Agh!" He suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand. Quickly checking it revealed a spider that had made its way onto him. He quickly swatted it away.

"Oh shit dude did one get you?"

Ren shoved his hands back into his pockets. "It's nothing, let's go."

The train ride back home felt like a rollercoaster to Ren as he experienced severe vertigo, he felt like he could hurl chunks at any moment.

"You're not looking too good Ren." Ann sat across from him, concern written on her face. Ren attempted to respond but feared that opening his mouth would open the floodgates. His only response was a weak thumbs up. Ann relented and stood up to get off at her stop.

When Ren finally made it home to Leblanc he collapsed onto his bed in the cafe's dusty attic, not even bothering to change out of his school uniform, he passed out immediately. That night he dreamt of spiders crawling over him.

[2]

Yu Narukami awoke to the sound of bacon sizzling on a pan. He sat up on the couch of his penthouse apartment and turned to see his wife, Rise Narukami, in the kitchen making breakfast.

The apartment was technically the two of theirs' but it was Rise who was the breadwinner between the two of them, being a former idol-turned-moviestar tended to earn one a higher salary than Yu's official job of freelance photography.

His unofficial and main job earning him exactly $0 annually. If it wasn't for his loving wife of 3 years he would be spending his nights dumpster-diving for ham scraps rather than saving lives and throwing costumed freaks in jail.

"Morning sleepyhead, what time did you get in last night?"

"I'm not sure, 2 maybe? Minazuki was terrorizing boats on the docks last night."

"Scorpion's out of prison already? Our tax dollars at work." She said with a bemused look.

Yu got up off of the couch, his joints popping loudly, and made his way into the kitchen. "I thought we agreed that I'd be the one cooking in this house."

Rise turned to him and pouted "It's pretty hard to mess up bacon and eggs."

Yu smiled "I've learned to never underestimate you. So what's the occasion? Aren't you usually off to work by now?"

Rise turned to him with a deadpan expression. "You really forgot what today is?"

Immediately Yu's brain went into overdrive trying to remember every important date today could potentially be. Valentine's day? Anniversary? Rise could see the gears turning in his head and laughed. "It's your birthday today Yu!"

Yu was taken aback, it didn't seem like it should be. However Yu's sense of time was awful considering his nearly nonexistent sleep schedule, the past few weeks had especially been a blur as he hadn't even come home most nights.

"You'd better get ready for today. The gang's all coming over tonight, Nanako's especially excited to see her 'Big Bro' again."

The gang as it was called, included Yu's uncle, Dojima and his daughter, Nanako, as well as some close knit friends from high school back in the small town in Inaba; Yosuke Hanamura, Chie Satonaka, Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi, Naoto Shirogane, and Teddie Kuma.

These people were closer to Yu than his own parents were and were privy to Yu's closest guarded secret, his identity as the city's masked protector, Spider-Man.

"Go get showered and dressed for today! Oh and wash the suit, smells like you haven't taken it off in days!"

Yu looked down and noticed that he was still dressed in his costume, the bright red and blue colors stained with sweat and grime. The white spider emblazoned on the front nearly turned brown as it was caked in dirt and presumably his own blood.

"Right, I'll get on that." He responded before kissing his wife and making his way out of the kitchen.

"Also," he turned as he walked out "Eggs are burning."

"Shit!" Rise frantically tried to salvage breakfast as Yu walked off, chuckling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm new to writing stories, recently I've started having a lot more free time so I decided to spend some of it doing this. Let me know what you think, I'd like to improve my writing where I can. I've already got a pretty good idea of where I want the story to go moving forward so I'm more looking for smaller scale ideas if anyone has any.


	2. Chapter 2

[3]

Ren's next day at school, all he could think about was food. He woke up starving, at three plates of Sojiro's curry and still felt malnourished. He couldn't even pay attention in class as he spent each period watching the clock eagerly as he waited for lunch to come.

His final class before lunch was Biology, a class he was usually quite invested in as he was looking to become a biologist after college. Unfortunately for Ren, Dr. Maruki, the biology professor, was more perceptive than his peers.

"Amamiya, see me after class!" He informed Ren in a strict manner that differed greatly from his normal cheerful disposition. After the bell rang, Ren reluctantly approached the front of the class, his head hung in embarrassment.

Once everyone had left, Dr. Maruki finally spoke.

"What's going on today? You seem distracted." His tone had returned to its typical friendliness.

"Sorry if I made you worry with how I spoke earlier, I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention, you're normally so invested in class."

"Sorry about that professor, I'm just not feeling great today."

"I'm sorry to hear that, be sure to take care of yourself, if you feel sick you should go see the nurse."

Dr. Maruki was a kind and caring man in his late 20s, he was well liked among the student body as he rarely gave out homework and provided snacks to anyone who wanted them in class. The only bad thing he was known for was his clumsiness as he had a bad habit of fumbling with microphones and dropping notecards for important lectures, though these could be excused by the fact that he only had one arm, having lost the other one years ago in an accident.

"I'll be fine, I just need to eat something."

"Well you're welcome to all the saltine crackers and apple juice you want. Well maybe not all of it, that's going to be my lunch today... Again."

Ren took him up on his offer as the two sat down to chat.

"So how was the field trip yesterday? I wish I could have chaperoned, but I had a mountain of paperwork to get through."

Ren finished chewing his saltines before speaking "You didn't miss much, they wouldn't let us see any projects or anything. I honestly don't even know why they took us."

"Yeah Shido Sciences aren't huge on PR, but they do some amazing things there. You know, I actually applied to work there before getting a job here."

"Really? I can't imagine why they turned you down. You're a brilliant scientist"

"They didn't, I was actually accepted."

Ren was shocked. "Uh, then if you don't mind my asking, why work here? The pay's gotta be worse and you're stuck teaching a bunch of rowdy teenagers all day."

Maruki laughed at that. "I love working here, it's one of the top schools in Japan for STEM fields and I get to enlighten a new generation of students like yourself with promising futures."

A look of sadness crossed his face as he looked down. "But as for the reason I decided to work here…" He gripped the stump of his right arm with his remaining one. "Life happens and I had a change of perspective. I realized that my time is better spent helping a new generation find an appreciation for science like I have."

His expression brightened and he looked back up towards Ren. "But I haven't abandoned the lab entirely! In fact I have something I've been working on in my spare time that I think will excite you. It's still in its infancy so I'll tell you more about it when I'm closer to completion, but if I can complete it, it's going to help so many people!"

Ren smiled at his mentor's excitement, Dr. Maruki had an almost childlike sense of wonder when it came to his field of research. It was hard not to feel happy seeing the man's attitude,

Ren hoped to be like him when he was older.

"Oh wow, look at the time! I didn't realize I'd held you here for so long. Here I'll write you a pass for your next class."

[4]

"Happy Birthday!" A resounding cheer sounded throughout the apartment. It was about 4 in the afternoon when Yu's friends showed up to his home to celebrate his 25th. It was great to see all of his friends again as most still lived out in the countryside and didn't get the chance to visit Tokyo often. Having adult responsibilities sucked.

"Dude, I can't believe you're living in a penthouse apartment overlooking the city! Some guys have all the luck." Yosuke said, his usual playful tone softening the complaint.

"Have you gotten taller since we last saw each other senpai? I could've sworn we weren't the same height last time I saw you." Kanji, the toughest but sweetest of the group asked Yu.

Teddie had taken it upon himself to immediately make himself at home as he typically did, taking off his shoes and lounging on the living room couch. "I can't bear-lieve how soft this couch is!"

He was looking prepared to fall asleep when he was interrupted with a slap to the back of the head courtesy of Chie.

"Don't be rude, you're in someone else's house!"

Shenanigans continued to ensue among the group as they were all reunited for the first time in years, their busy schedules keeping them from meeting up very often. Yu was incredibly glad to see them all together in one place again. It reminded him of when they had all met and formed their close bond with each other.

8 years ago in the town of Inaba, Yu had experienced an event that would alter his life forever when a spider bite made him into the now world famous hero, Spider-Man. It had been a weird experience at first, suddenly being able to stick to walls and pick up cars, but through working with his closest friends, he honed his skills, gained some helpful gadgets as well as a cool new suit, and learned to become a hero.

Despite being a small town in the middle of nowhere, Inaba became a battleground as other, less morally inclined, individuals gained powers of their own and used them to terrorize the town and its citizens. Luckily, in the end Spider-Man always came out on top, arresting the villains and making a name for himself in the process.

With the small town back to normal, Yu thought it appropriate to put his talents to use in the big city. Now for the past 7 years, Spider Man has existed as a beacon of hope and justice for the people of Tokyo as new threats arise across the city.

"Honey we're about to cut the cake!" Called the voice of Yu's wife from their balcony, snapping him out of his nostalgia.

Yu walked out onto the patio and saw his cake, a look of bewilderment crossing his face as the cake prepared for him was clearly made for a child, signified by the large 8 written in frosting.

Rise giggled at the look he gave. "Well as it turns out, they don't really sell Spider Man cakes for adults so I figured we could celebrate 8 years of Spider-Man instead!"

The entire group chuckled at the display and watched as Yu blew out the candles.

"Make a wish Big Bro!" Came the voice of Nanako who was eager to have Yu open the present she'd prepared.

Celebrations were cut short as a large explosion sounded from the streets below. Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing to look down off the balcony, everyone but Yu who rushed inside to grab his suit. The rest of the group came in to turn on the news and find out the cause of the explosion.

The news broadcasts showed live footage of an attack in Shibuya, a large winged creature with green skin hurled balls of fire recklessly throughout the city streets. Police fired upon the creature to no effect, civilians ran in terror as debris scattered around them. The vaguely humanoid creature only yelling "SPIDER MAN!" As it continued its attack.

Yu came out of the bedroom wearing his suit with his mask in hand, webshooters freshly loaded.

"Be careful out there!" Rise said running up to him

Yu smiled back at her, "Don't worry, I'll be back in time to open gifts." He donned his mask and leapt off the balcony with practiced ease.


	3. Chapter 3

[5]

Swinging to the streets below, Yu landed on top of a light post and called out to the creature. "You called for me?"

The creature turned towards him, the leathery wings on its back flapping loudly. When it saw the target of its rampage a sickening grin appeared on its face.

"Jesus, Adachi is that you? What have they been feeding you in prison?" Yu quipped in his usual demeanor he took on under the mask.

"Like the new look? It's a new Goblin formula, courtesy of a new business partner."

Yu took in the sight before him, the Adachi he knew before was a psychopath and a murderer who'd gotten his hands on a drug that enhanced his physical abilities and all the worst parts of his personality. This new Adachi however had graduated to what could only be called a monster.

"Care to enlighten me as to who this partner may be? Asking for a friend."

"Don't know. Don't care. They busted me out and paid me to kill you. Joke's on them though, I'd have done it for free!"

With that, Adachi flew at Yu with speed that didn't seem possible for something his size. Yu blasted him with rapid fire webs in an attempt to slow him down. The webs never reached their target however as they were burned away by fire from Adachi's palms.

"So unfair!" Yu called out as he swung out of the way of the attack. Adachi began chasing Yu as he swung across buildings, swerving out of the way of projectiles thrown at him.

"You'd be a lot easier to kill if you weren't a coward!" Adachi called after him.

"Was that supposed to make me stop? Cuz it worked!" Yu shot out two webs on either side of him, creating a slingshot between two buildings, one that Adachi was the unwilling ammunition of.

Adachi was flung into the streets below hitting the concrete hard enough to make a small crater. Before he could stand up, his limbs were webbed to the ground, effectively trapping him.

"You like that? Extra strength webbing, made it to stop the Rhino in his tracks."

With a loud grunt of effort, Adachi tore the concrete around him out of the ground and stood

back up smiling, now equipped with what were essentially concrete boxing gloves.

Yu gave an exasperated sigh "That's unfortunate."

A diner window shattered as Spider Man was sent flying through it. The diner's terrified patrons peeking out of their hiding places to see their hero stumble his way out of the diner's front door, turning back to them on his way out.

"No worries! I've got him on the ropes."

The sounds of destruction continued outside as the two superpowered men clashed on the Tokyo streets.

[6]

Ren Amamiya was walking to the train station in Shibuya, leaving the Big Bang Burger with his appetite finally satiated. Apparently he'd completed some kind of challenge and in record time, with his stomach now full, he began to make his way home.

As he walked past the various shops on the street he felt a buzzing sensation in the back of his head, not painful or disorienting, but definitely something he'd never experienced before, the buzzing became stronger and stronger and his body became tense, heart rate going through the roof.

That was when the explosions happened, debris engulfed in fire flew through the street and screams of terror rang nearly as loud as the initial blast. Suddenly a maniacal laughter began to drown out the other noises, turning around to see the source, Ren saw what was no doubt the perpetrator of the attack.

A man, or at least something humanoid in shape flew above the streets with leathery wings on his back, his body was green and larger than any human's reasonably should be. But the most terrifying sight was his face, rows of fangs stood in place of teeth and took up the majority of his face, his eyes were just yellow sclera with no distinguishable pupils, his ears were pointed to where they nearly resembled horns, and resting just above his forehead were two actual horns.

This couldn't be a man, from the way he looked and acted, this was the devil! The monster cried out something that initially Ren couldn't comprehend, but as it just kept repeating it over and over, he realized that this thing was calling out for Spider-Man.

The city's hero was nowhere to be found as the destruction continued, concrete collapsing off of buildings hit by the monster's fire. Flying just above the ground, the creature approached where Ren was standing on the sidewalk, it was then that he realized that he'd been standing in place since the explosion.

Ren tried to move his legs but was too terrified, his body had shut down in fear. That was when he and it locked eyes, a sick smile spread across the fangs, in that moment Ren knew he was about to die. It was seconds before what would have been Ren's demise when a voice rang through the street.

"You called for me?"


	4. Chapter 4

[7]

Yu Narukami had finally gained the upper hand in this battle as a solid left hook connected with Adachi's face and knocked out some of his teeth. The two were moving above Shibuya's streets at dangerously high speeds which Yu used to his advantage, a well placed web giving him the momentum to slam the stunned Adachi into the side of a brick wall.

Meanwhile a dark room full of monitors displayed the fight as it unfolded, rows of technicians sitting in front of controls watched the battle intently.

"Sir, it appears that Spider-Man is winning." Came the voice of one of the technicians.

"Begin Plan B, detonate the charges." A shadowy figure announced to his subordinates.

With his opponent down Yu took the opportunity to encase Adachi in a thick sheet of webbing that should hold him for the time being. He clapped the dust off from his hands as he looked at his now unconscious foe.

"Oof, they're gonna need a big paddywagon to get you outta here." Yu's spider sense suddenly went off right before the sound of explosions from across the city rang out.

"No!" He shouted as he began swinging around frantically saving every civilian he could. There was no time for quips as he desperately tried to save everyone he could, but for every civilian he saved, more explosions rang out across the city.

One particularly large explosion threatened to collapse a large office building onto the street below. Yu desperately used his webs to keep the building in place, a large hammock like web, now being the only thing stopping hundreds of tons of concrete and steel from crashing onto the heads of the fleeing Tokyo citizens.

That feat and everything that had happened thus far caused the hero to pause for a moment and catch his breath. Civilians on the ground cheered for him in thanks and Yu felt empowered in that moment. But a moment of respite couldn't be had as Yu was suddenly slammed in the back by a large flying mass carrying him into the sky.

"Forget about me?" Adachi's distorted voice came as claws were dug into Yu's sides. Powering through the pain, Yu turned around and began repeatedly beating on his opponent's face.

"Was this you?! How could you do this?!" He screamed through his rage.

"I had nothing to do with the explosions, but if I had to guess I'd say my new friends are giving me a hand in killing you!" The grin on Adachi's face never wavering as he got a sick sense of pleasure through his long time foe's suffering.

A large hand tightly gripped Yu's head, tore off his mask, and forced him to look down to watch the chaos unfold far below him as the echoes of screams and alarms blared from the streets far below them. The mask dropped silently into the fire and destruction that awaited Yu below as the cold air hit his bruised and bloodied face.

"I just want to savor this moment before the end of our long road together." Adachi inhaled the fresh air and let out a satisfied breath.

Suddenly, the two of them were barreling down towards a concrete rooftop of a partially destroyed building which Adachi meant to bury the wallcrawler in head first.

Yu however, wouldn't give up without a fight. Inhaling a sharp breath through his nose, he sent a swift kick behind him and between the villain's legs hit its mark and caused Adachi's grip to loosen as he yelped in pain.

Twisting through the air, Yu realized he wouldn't be able to dodge the building, so he instead grabbed Adachi's large body and used him to take the brunt of the impact. The two crashed through floor after floor, feeling the shock of each impact running through their bodies, until they crashed into what was most likely the ground floor, though the room was unrecognizable with the amount of dust and collapsed concrete piled around them.

Yu gasped for air as the wind had been knocked out of him several times in the past few seconds, only to suddenly cough out all of the dust that filled his lungs. Raising a gloved hand to his mouth revealed dark red blood that had come spilling out. It was only when he attempted to stand did he realize the problem was far worse.

A piece of rebar jutted out from his chest, based on his ragged breathing, Yu guessed that it had pierced a lung. The shock of the situation led to Yu's body suddenly realizing how much pain he was really in, his left arm was broken and he could no longer feel his legs. The pain set in and Yu's breathing began to slow.

'Oh God, this is it.' He thought to himself. 'I'm not gonna make it back.'

Turning his head to check his opponent's condition, Yu saw that Adachi had been buried under a pile of rubble, the only parts of him visible were a green hand and the tattered remains of a wing sticking out beneath the debris. Judging from the amount of damage he took, Yu was positive that Adachi had been killed on impact.

As Yu's life, his journey up to this point, flashed before his eyes, he knew he should have been worried about the civilians in danger from the attack, but all he could think of were the people back at his apartment waiting for him to come home.

His family was waiting for him, they would be devastated when the news came, Yosuke and the others would lose their closest friend, Dojima would lose the closest thing he had to a son, Nanako would lose her 'Big Bro', and Rise would lose her husband. It would be tough but he knew that they'd make it through this together.

As the final moments leading up to the confrontation played in his mind, Yu felt at peace, he was back home, eating cake with everyone and celebrating his birthday with the best family a guy could ask for.

"I'm so sorry everyone, I hope that you'll forgive me." Came Yu's final words as his eyes grew heavy and the light faded from the world.

[8]

Ren wasn't sure how long it had been since the attack started, he'd been running for cover avoiding the damage from the explosions for what felt like hours. He had elected to stay near the street as it seemed that no building was safe from the destruction.

He would however, come to regret that decision as a large tower came crashing onto the street below, for the second time that day, Ren was certain he'd die, and for the second time that day, Spider Man rescued him.

A huge web spread across multiple buildings and caught the debris, saving the lives of everyone on the street along with Ren. Seeing their savior above them the people cheered for their masked hero.

Ren couldn't help but cheer as well, the fear that had taken him over was pushed back by a sense of hope growing in him at seeing Spider Man standing triumphantly over them. The hope Ren felt was quickly torn away as a hulking mass grabbed the vigilante and flew off with him out of sight.

Panic returned to the populous as they once again fled for their lives. Ren was about to do the same when the sound of fists hitting glass rang through his ears. Turning to the source Ren saw people trapped at the front door of the tower that had just lost its upper half, a concrete pillar had collapsed in front of the doorway, trapping the survivors inside.

Without even thinking, Ren moved to help the people inside, he didn't know what he could do to help, but it wouldn't stop him from trying, and it seemed time was of the essence as he could see smoke rising from inside the building's lobby.

"Hang on, I'll get you out!" He shouted to them through the glass. Smacking his hands against it in an attempt to break through yielded no result, the glass was reinforced.

Not knowing what else to do he attempted something crazy. Placing his hands beneath the pillar blocking the doorway, Ren attempted to lift with all of his might.

Anyone would have thought he was crazy, trying to lift what must have been close to 2 tons by himself, but much to everyone trapped inside, the pillar began to slowly lift off of the ground.

"Hrrrrngh!" Ren's face was red and his eyes were squeezed shut from exertion as he attempted the Herculean feat, not even aware of his surroundings.

He only managed to come to his senses when he heard the shattering of stone and felt the weight leave his arms. Opening his eyes revealed that he had not only moved the pillar, he had flipped it over and completely out of the doorway.

People came rushing out of the doors, fleeing the scene as they moved past Ren who had collapsed onto the rubble, out of breath and sweating profusely. The only person to turn around and check on Ren was a woman with a bob haircut and orange sunglasses, taking a few steps towards Ren to check on him, he waved her off silently, making it clear that he was okay and just needed to catch his breath.

Getting the message, the woman turned and ran to catch up with the others who were running towards the sound of sirens.

Emergency services had finally arrived and were escorting survivors to safety. Finally standing up again on legs that felt like jelly, Ren stumbled his way towards the safety promised by the sirens.


	5. Chapter 5

[9]

When Ren made it back to Leblanc the sun had long since gone down, he was surprised to see the lights still on, walking in he saw his guardian Sojiro Sakura as well as Sojiro's daughter Futaba Sakura watching news coverage of the attack on the cafe's TV.

When they heard the bell ring, both turned to the entrance and saw Ren standing there, bruised, covered in dust, and hands caked in dried blood.

"Ren!" The two said in unison, an emotional burden visibly lifting off of their shoulders.

The Sakura family had taken Ren in as his guardians for his year of probation in Tokyo, a frequent customer to Sojiro's cafe, Leblanc, was good friends with Ren's parents and when word came that Ren would need a guardian for his stay, Sojiro had offered to watch over him.

Sojiro Sakura was a gruff man somewhere between his mid 40s to early 50s (Sojiro refused to give his exact age when asked), when Ren had first met him 2 months ago, he thought the man was pretty strict and wouldn't give Ren the benefit of the doubt, but as time passed and Ren began to work in the cafe, Sojiro had realized that the boy posed no threat to him or his daughter and eased up, treating Ren as a valued apprentice and allowing him much more freedom in his everyday life.

Futaba Sakura was the adopted daughter of Sojiro Sakura, she was a year younger than Ren but appeared much younger due to her small stature. Futaba was what one would call a shut-in, she spent nearly all of her time in her room on her computer and Ren wasn't even aware of her existence until a month into his stay.

Futaba was adopted by Sojiro due to the circumstances of her mother's job which had her constantly travelling across the country. Wakaba Isshiki, Futaba's mother, didn't want to force her daughter into her lifestyle, so to give her some stability, she entrusted Futaba's care to her closest friend, Sojiro.

"We were so worried!" Futaba rushed up to Ren and wrapped her arms around his torso, the top of her head resting beneath his chin.

"We tried calling you but you wouldn't pick up!" Ren patted her back in reassurance and glanced back to Sojiro, who chuckled at the display. Getting a good look at Ren's condition, Sojiro's eyes filled with concern, his inner parent coming out.

"Kid are you alright? How close were you to the damage?"

"I'm fine, I just fell to the ground from the shockwaves." Ren decided it best not to worry his guardian with what had actually gone down earlier that day, he'd barely had any time to think about it himself.

Sojiro gave him a skeptical look but didn't say anything. Futaba released him from the hug and looked up at him with an angry expression while pushing up her large glasses.

"If it was only that, why didn't you answer your phone?! I sent you like a million texts!"

Ren pulled his phone out of his pocket, displaying the shattered screen and pressing the power button several times to no effect.

"I kinda landed on it when I fell. Which reminds me, Sojiro, do you think I can get an advance on my next paycheck?"

"I don't pay you."

"Sojiro, do you think I could borrow some money? I promise I'll pay you back."

"Kid, you're lucky I let you live here. Don't push it."

Futaba snatched the broken phone out of Ren's hand and jammed it into her hoodie pocket.

"I'll fix it! Just give me til the end of the week." She said, already heading towards the cafe door to head home. As she was part way through the door she turned around and ran to Ren, giving him another hug. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Me too." He replied smiling, returning the affection. Futaba immediately turned back and ran out the door.

As Sojiro made his way out of the cafe, he turned to Ren, "I know you said you're fine, but go see the doc tomorrow, just to be sure."

"I will. Thank you."

Sojiro gave a comforting smile and patted Ren's shoulder as he walked past. "Get some rest." Were his last words as the door shut behind him.

[10]

Naoto Shirogane comforted Rise Narukami as the two sat on the balcony overlooking Shibuya. Moonlight barely peeked out through the thick layer of clouds above them. The cake sat on the table, long since forgotten as each of the guests sat inside all with the same thought repeating in their minds. 'Where is he?'

Naoto was never the best when it came to comforting others, that was something that was usually left up to Yu.

The attack had ended hours ago and now the only sounds from the city were the sirens of the emergency services who were still searching through the rubble and providing first aid to those who were injured on the scene.

"He's probably just caught up helping everyone like always, there's still a lot of work to be done down there." Came the voice of Dojima, Yu's uncle and surrogate father. Though he wasn't speaking to the two of them but rather his daughter who wore her worried expression much clearer than anyone else.

Naoto could tell that Rise took little comfort in his words, even if they weren't meant for her.

Naoto was about to say something to the worried wife when her phone buzzed loudly, interrupting the somber mood in the apartment. Checking who it was, she was disappointed, but not surprised, to find that it was work calling her.

"Detective Shirogane."

"We need you down in Shibuya, something important came up."

"Did forensics find anything on the explosives? Any idea as to who manufactured them?"

"No it's not that, there's something else. Something big."

"What is it?"

"Just get down here." With that, the phone call ended. Naoto turned to Rise who, having gathered the situation, gestured that Naoto was okay to leave and that she would be fine, even if the look on her face said otherwise.

Naoto left the apartment in a hurry and arrived on the Shibuya streets within minutes. In that time, the clouds over Shibuya had grown too dense and rain began to pour onto the city below.

Finding one of the officers, she asked where the chief was and was pointed where she needed to go. Making her way past the line of police tape she saw the man she was looking for facing away from her.

The Tokyo chief of police stood over a pile of rubble outside of what used to be a hotel, smoking a cigarette with an umbrella in one hand and a red rag clutched in his other. He turned to her as she approached and offered room underneath the umbrella.

"What is it?" She spoke loudly over the sound of the downpour slapping against the pavement around them. Without speaking, the chief handed her the rag in his hand which Naoto accepted carefully, holding it out in front of her she found it was something very familiar to her.

The mask was missing one of its lenses and the other was cracked, but its appearance was unmistakable. With her mouth agape she turned to the chief to ask him where he'd found it but saw that he was pointing towards the partial building in front of them.

Naoto walked closer to it to get a closer look as to what was inside, stepping past the collapsed wall and over the rubble she got a clear view of what the chief had wanted her to see. The once bright color scheme of the suit now covered in dust and barely visible, dark red blood pouring over the rocks surrounding him.

Her knees gave out beneath her and her eyes blurred with tears as she stared at the broken, impaled, lifeless corpse of her best friend. As thunder roared in the sky it drowned out the sounds of the detective crying out in the cold night.


	6. Chapter 6

[11]

Ren woke up groggier than usual the next morning, his first thought as he got out of bed was to reach for his phone on the shelf next to his bed, only to find that it wasn't there. His mind too tired to process where it might be he decided his next course of action was to go to the bathroom.

Moving downstairs into the cafe he was startled to find customers already sitting in the booths drinking coffee. An old couple sitting closest to the stairs gasped as they witnessed a teenage boy stride into the middle of the cafe wearing only boxer shorts and an "I Heart Tokyo" T-shirt. Futaba, who was sitting on one of the stools at the counter, snapped a picture of the confused Ren, who promptly turned around and ran back up to the attic.

"Kid what the hell are you doing?!" Called the voice of Sojiro from downstairs.

Ren was already rushing to get dressed for school before anyone else could say anything. With his school uniform only partially on Ren rushed back downstairs, bookbag in hand when he was stopped by his guardian. Sojiro had a look that seemed halfway between angry and amused at Ren's morning antics.

"School's been cancelled for the rest of the week, on account of yesterday's events."

"Oh... right." Memories of what had transpired the day prior flooded back into Ren's mind. The monster, the explosions, the destruction.

"Sorry about uh, earlier." Ren glanced over to the elderly couple who snickered at the boy.

"It's fine, just come have breakfast."

Ren took a seat next to Futaba who couldn't stop giggling, looking Ren up and down.

"You look like you've been taking fashion advice from Ryuji." She said, gesturing to his haphazard appearance.

"Yeah, figured I'd finish changing on the subway."

Sojiro laid out the standard breakfast of Leblanc which also happened to be the only food Leblanc served, curry over rice. Ren didn't mind though, Sojiro's curry was amazing and he found himself never getting tired of it even after two straight months of it.

As Ren finished his meal, the cafe door burst open to reveal the two blondes Ren knew as his best friends.

"Ren!" Ann and Ryuji shouted in unison as they rushed to hug their friend, relieved at his safety.

"Agghh!" The next thing Ren knew he was being slapped across the face by Ann whose tone had done a 180 in under a second.

"Why didn't you reply back to us! You told us you were going to Shibuya after school and then all that shit went down and not a peep from you!" Ann slapped him a second time. "We thought you were dead y'know! I didn't get any sleep last night, I was so worried!"

As she went in for a third slap, Ryuji caught her hand. "He gets it! Let's just be glad he's safe."

Ann pulled her hand away and pouted, a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "Don't make me worry like that again! Got it?!"

Ren nodded holding a hand to his now red cheek "I'm sorry, my phone broke in the chaos, so I didn't get to see any messages."

Ryuji took in Ren's disheveled appearance. "Hey man I like the new style, looks good on you! Though, why're you dressed for school? Didn't you hear we got the week off?"

"I just woke up. It was a long night."

"Right... Sorry."

After Ren mentioned waking up, Futaba gestured Ann over to her and showed her something on her phone which got Ann to laugh her ass off.

"Send that to me!"

Ren had no doubt it was the picture from earlier and frowned at the joke at his expense.

"Oh hey dude, I just noticed, no glasses today?" Ryuji questioned Ren. This gave Ren pause, he reached up to his face and noticed that he wasn't wearing the thick framed glasses that normally always donned his face. But that made no sense, Ren's eyesight was terrible, without them he could barely see his own hand in front of his face.

However right now, Ren could see crystal clear, in fact his eyesight was better than ever, it had been since he woke up this morning.

"What the hell?"

[12]

Ren Amamiya wasn't a complete idiot. He wouldn't dismiss all of the strange things that had been happening to him for the past few days.

His eyesight had fixed itself overnight and he no longer required his glasses. He was sticking to things now, earlier when he had leaned his hand against a brick wall it had gotten stuck and he ended up tearing a chunk off of the wall before becoming unstuck. And then there was his newfound strength, first discovered when he lifted a large chunk of concrete off of the ground, Ren had run a series of tests in private to make sure it wasn't just a heat of the moment thing.

To his surprise, he was capable of lifting many times his own weight which he found out by bench pressing a parked car in Yongen Jaya and uprooting a large tree in Inokashira park, both events led to him nearly being caught and having to make up a terrible excuse as to what he'd been doing.

Ren was washing dishes in the kitchen of cafe Leblanc, thinking back to what could have caused this change in him. 'Did it start with the attack? Maybe it had awoken something within him? No, things had been off before then as well.'

"The field trip!" Ren realized that it had all started when he was coming back from Shido Sciences and got sick on the train ride home.

"What about the field trip?" Sojiro asked him while taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Oh uh nothing just thinking out loud, I uh think I left something at the lab during the field trip."

'Nice save!' Ren congratulated himself in his mind.

Sojiro just rolled his eyes and tossed the cigarette into the trash can.

"You should stop hanging out with that Ryuji kid, I think his stupid is rubbing off on you."

Ren chuckled in response and resumed his thought process.

The only significant event that day had been the incident with the spiders and one biting him, that must have been what triggered the change. Ren felt like a moron for not realizing it earlier, the spider that had bitten him had been locked up in a glass container in a lab so it most likely wasn't ordinary. In fact the more he thought about, he realized that this must be what gave Spider-Man his abilities in the first place, the similarities were too numerous to be a coincidence.

Before Ren could further contemplate his situation, Sojiro turned up the volume on the TV and Ren heard the news anchor say "Spider-Man" which immediately caused him to turn towards the cafe's small television.

Written across the screen was the headline, "Spider-Man Found Dead Following Shibuya Terrorist Attack. Man Behind The Mask Revealed"

Above the headline was a photo of a handsome man in his mid 20s with medium length silver hair and grey eyes.

"What?" Ren couldn't believe his eyes. Spider-Man was dead? Did the villain from before beat him? What was going to happen to the city? Would the monster attack again? What if-

"Ren!"

"Huh?" Ren looked over to Sojiro who called out to him.

"You broke the damn plate in half!"

Ren looked at his hands and noticed that he was in fact holding the two halves of a porcelain plate he'd been cleaning, split directly down the middle.

"I'm so sorry Sojiro, I'll clean this up and buy a new one!"

"Don't bother. Kid are you alright? You look like you're gonna be sick."

"Yeah, I just, I can't believe he's gone."

Sojiro looked down, "Yeah, we're gonna miss him. I'm honestly not sure how the city's gonna fare without him." Glancing at the clock, Sojiro hung up his apron and put on his white fedora.

"Futaba's gonna be devastated, she was his biggest fan. I gotta be there for her, are you okay to lock up."

"Yeah… I'll be fine. Goodnight."

Looking back up to the newscast, Ren saw that there would be a vigil held tomorrow night for Spider-Man and all of the people who lost their lives in the attack. Apparently Spider-Man's widow would be giving a speech to the public.

Ren turned off the TV and locked up before heading to bed. He didn't get any sleep that night, only lying there staring at the ceiling, contemplating where to go from here. Could the city really survive without Spider-Man?


	7. Chapter 7

[13]

Suguru Kamoshida was always meant to be a star, and for a time, he was.

Bringing home an Olympic gold medal for Japan, he had been greeted with a hero's welcome back home, everyone knew his name, women wanted him, men wanted to be him. But that all changed when they started popping up.

Super heroes, villains, vigilantes, all taking up the spotlight that was once his, after all, who cares how far you can throw a shot put when there's guys out there throwing cars? Who cares how high you can pole vault when there's people who can clear buildings in a single jump?

Being an athlete means nothing anymore thanks to them, at least that was the message he gathered when his sponsors backed out on him.

Now he was stuck working a dead end job as a gym teacher at his old high school, his own little castle where he was king, that was all the power he held now. It wasn't all bad however, the girls of the school knew who was really in charge, he held all of the power here and when he wanted something, he got it.

When the news came of the attack and Spider-Man's apparent death, he couldn't help but smile a bit on the inside. 'Serves him right.' He thought 'One less showboater taking away the spotlight.'

As he walked through the halls of his school the next day, it was devoid of any students. They had the week off, but the staff were still required to come in to get paperwork done, much to Kamoshida's dismay. If there was one thing he hated more than bratty students, it was paperwork.

He stopped by the office of the prestigious school's electrical engineering professor, Ms. Usami.

"Hey beautiful, whaddya got goin' on?"

The professor blushed as she looked up from her work, the two of them had confrontations like this often, Kamoshida would flirt with her and she would pretend it didn't affect her and try to be professional. He didn't actually find the older woman attractive, it was just his way of establishing power over her.

"A personal project."

"Aww come on don't be like that, show me! I know you love talking about your work."

After some brief hesitation, Ms. Usami sighed, glancing out into the hallway to make sure it was empty, she gestured him in. Sitting on her desk was a metallic rectangle, roughly the dimensions of a smartphone.

"It's a new type of battery, meant to hold a far greater charge than a typical battery." She gestured towards the object. "It's still in its prototype phase, but if it works, just one would be able to power this entire building for days."

Kamoshida whistled "Damn, sexy and brilliant. You really are the full package." The professor tried desperately to maintain her composure as Kamoshida worked his charm on her. Before he could get any further, his phone buzzed with a message.

"My Office. Now" The message read. It was from the academy's principal.

Sighing in frustration, he turned back to Usami. "Sorry gotta run, Ushimaru wants me." He left without another word and headed straight for principal Ushimaru's office.

"What?" Kamoshida questioned the man who dared boss him around.

"Now that we have this time to catch up on our work, it's come to my attention that your behavior is a problem for us at this school. Are you aware of how many female students have come forward about sexual harassment accusations towards you?"

"Ushimaru, I thought we talked about this, those girls were just angry about not making the lineup for the volleyball team. Their claims are bullshit!"

"Perhaps they aren't as fabricated as you make them out to be."

His laid back facade beginning to peel away, Kamoshida leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Look we had an agreement, I get this sports team out of the shitter and you don't bother me about my 'methods.'"

Principal Ushimaru didn't back down. "Yes, that was the agreement, however I recently received this video from one of our students." Turning the computer monitor towards Kamoshida, the shaky video playing was clearly shot from a phone, however it very clearly showed Kamoshida in the act of 'disciplining' one of his less cooperative female players.

"It appears you got careless. The student intends to take this video public. I'm afraid I must terminate your employment effective immediately, clean out your office and be gone before noon."

Kamoshida felt the overwhelming urge to strangle the older man sitting in front of him, but thought better of it. He stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him. He stomped through the building towards his office, when he came across Ms. Usami leaving her office.

"What did Ushimaru want?"

Kamoshida donned the calm, charming mask he typically wore before turning to her. "Oh, he just wanted to congratulate me on getting us to nationals again. He can't wait to see another trophy on the case!" Kamoshida's fake smile physically hurt him as his rage burned stronger.

"Oh that's good. I hope we do well once again this year." Ms. Usami suspected nothing as she left for the faculty office.

When she was finally out of sight, Kamoshida entered Usami's office and snatched the prototype battery off of her desk and shoved it into his pocket. Ushimaru, the damn brat who exposed him, this entire school, they would all pay for exiling the king from his castle. And with this new gadget and some of his shadier connections, he had the perfect way to exact his vengeance.

[14]

Today was the day of the vigil held for those lost in the Shibuya attack. In order to honor the city's hero hundreds of Tokyo citizens donned Spider-Man memorabilia and merchandise.

Futaba, dressed in full Spider-Man merchandise, and Sojiro Sakura stepped into the coffee shop, the bell ringing as they entered to see Ren, in his everyday clothes, sitting on one of the stools quietly sipping a cup of coffee, clearly deep in thought.

"Ren, what are you doing? We're about to leave for the ceremony and you aren't even ready? Go upstairs and get dressed!" Futaba ordered, a little annoyed, but Ren could tell she was concerned for his mental health.

"Sorry, you guys go on ahead. I'll walk."

"You sure kid? Free ride going once…" Sojiro dangled his car keys.

"Yeah, I just need to finish my coffee and get dressed. Don't worry I'll see you guys there."

Futaba was very disappointed at this. She had wanted Ren to be by her in order to comfort her after she had received the terrible news. There was something about being around him that made her feel safe and warm. Sure Sojiro was great, he was her dad and his presence was comfortable, but Ren was different somehow.

He made Futaba happy and excited when she could talk to him about games and memes. But he also made her nervous and any time they touched it felt like electricity on her skin. If she was being honest, being around him made her feel more alive than she ever felt.

Futaba protested Ren's excuse to stay back, but Sojiro accepted Ren's choice, herding her towards the door.

Futaba turned towards Ren and pointed, face disgruntled. "We better see you there in 10 minutes."

Ren saluted her while taking a sip from his mug. "Scout's honor."

The door rang again as the Sakura's exited the cafe. Ren sighed, getting up from his seat and making the trek up the stairs to the attic. On his bed laid a cheap cloth Spider-Man mask, bought from the grocery store next door.

The eyes of the mask seemed to stare at him as his earlier thoughts played over and over in his mind.

'Could the city really survive without Spider-Man?'

He pulled the mask over his head and grabbed a black hoodie out of his box of belongings that he'd brought with him to Tokyo. It was supposed to get chilly tonight and he had no idea how long this may go on for.

As he flipped the cafe sign to closed, he felt a tingle in the back of his head, similar to the one he'd felt right before the attack. Ren feared the worst but turned around anyways, it was distant but with his recently enhanced vision he was able to catch a glimpse of two people right before they disappeared from view. A hooded individual was forcing a woman with short blue hair into an alley at gunpoint.

There was no one else around to see the crime happening, police would mostly be stationed in the inner city where the vigil was being held.

"Shit." Ren knew he should help, but this situation reminded him too much of the one that had gotten him put on probation here in the first place. Stepping in during that situation had only caused trouble and alienated him from his family and friends.

"A no good crook just like his uncle." His father had called him when he had last spoken to him behind reinforced glass in juvie.

"Aggh!" Came a sound of pain from the alley.

Hearing that, Ren knew he couldn't just stand around. With this power he now possessed, he had the ability to stop crimes like this from happening and if he wasted that power not helping others, that would be the real crime.

Running to the alley as fast as he could, he saw the scene laid out before him. The woman being held at gunpoint had a massive bruise on her cheek as the man in the hood continued to order her to give up her valuables.

"H-hey!" Ren's voice cracked as he tried to grab the man's attention. He cleared his throat before trying again.

"Hey stop what you're doing!" The hooded man turned around to see Ren in his mask with his black hoodie pulled up.

"Oh great, we've got another 'hero.' Look kid, scram and I won't- AGH!" The sentence went incomplete as the criminal collapsed to the ground.

Behind him, the woman from before stood with her bag clenched in her hand, clearly having clocked him in the head with it. She was slightly shorter than Ren with a very punk rock look to her outfit. She was probably in her mid 20s and was very pleasing to the eye. Ren stopped himself before he was caught staring.

"Thanks for the assist. That guy was an asshole." The woman stepped over the man's unconscious body, seemingly unphased at the fact that her life had been in danger moments ago.

"Oh, um you're welcome?" Ren didn't really feel he did anything helpful, but was glad that this turned out better than he'd thought. "Are you okay? It looks like he hit you."

"Nothing's injured, although he's going to have a mild concussion."

"I'd still feel better if you sought medical attention. There's a clinic just around the corner."

"I know. I run it." She responded sass dripping from her voice.

"Oh, well then I guess you'd know better than me." Ren awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"So who do I have to thank? What's your name?"

"Oh n-no, I really didn't do anything there's no need." Even if the situation had gone well, Ren didn't want his name involved in this at all.

"A man of mystery huh? I like that, it's sexy." Ren's face was as red as the mask he wore.

The woman pulled out her phone. "I'm gonna call the police now to come get this guy. If you don't want to be involved I'd suggest leaving."

"R-right." Ren recovered his senses and left the scene of the crime as fast as he could.


	8. Chapter 8

[15]

Detective Naoto Shirogane watched from the crowd full of spectators garbed in their Spider-Man memorabilia as Rise Narukami gave her speech to the crowd. Naoto could tell her friend was barely holding it together as the speech came to its closing statement.

“Yu always said that it could’ve been anyone under the mask, he was just the kid who happened to get bit. My favorite thing about Yu was that he made us each feel powerful.We all have powers of one kind or another, but in our own way, we are all Spider-Man. And we’re all counting on you.”

Rise bowed and was escorted offstage by security.

Naoto looked out over the crowd of masked faces, she was less than optimistic about Tokyo’s future. In the 4 days since the attack, crime had already risen 5%. Without Spider-Man, the city’s criminals were becoming more bold. Gang violence was becoming more commonplace and rumors of more superpowered criminals were spreading like wildfire.

Naoto knew Rise saw the best in people and truly believed that the citizens of Tokyo could rise to the occasion and help one another. But Naoto was a cop, she’d seen the worst this city had to offer and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to believe in the people.

With the vigil concluded the crowds began to disperse. The detective let out a sigh of relief as she had been worried with a crowd this large, there could be another, even more devastating act of terrorism. 

With her worries aside for now, she approached her friend who was being hounded by the media.

“Risette, is it true that Spider-Man helped boost your career from behind the scenes?”  
“Did you know who Yu Narukami really was before you got married?”  
“Is it true that you and Narukami were in a three-way relationship with the Black Cat?”

Naoto pulled out her badge and flashed it to the paparazzi. “Official police business, I need you all to leave!”

With some whines of resistance the paparazzi finally left the two of them alone. Rise turned to her friend with a grateful expression.

“Thanks for that, I had to resist the urge to slap those dumb cameras right out of there hands. Can’t they see there’s more important things going on right now than celebrity gossip? Honestly.”

“They’re just doing their jobs, as little as it actually helps, people want a bit of normalcy to reassure them that things will be okay.” Naoto offered on the paparazzi’s behalf.

“Still, I could do without media attention right now. This speech was just to give the city hope, my manager was actually against this. Apparently he wanted me to play up the ‘grieving widow’ angle for a big comeback. I actually did slap him for that.”

“Rise…” Naoto paused for a moment. “I’m so sorry that I haven’t been there for you these past few days. I’ve been so busy with the investigation on the attack that I’ve forced you to grieve alone. You don’t deserve that, no one does.”

“Have you found out anything about who’s responsible?” Rise had a fierce expression on her face.

“I’m sorry Rise, I’m not at liberty to discuss the details of ongoing investigations with the public.” 

Rise did not appreciate that answer. “So I’m just ‘the public’ now? Naoto, my husband was murdered! I want to find the son of a bitch who did it! We both know it wasn’t Adachi who was behind the terrorist attack, that’s way too smart for him, someone broke him out of prison and used him to make Yu vulnerable.”

Naoto was pained by her friend’s reaction, however everything she’d just said had been correct. Unfortunately what Rise had just said basically summed up everything the police knew. Whoever was behind the Shibuya terrorist attack had covered all their tracks. The former Detective Prince was ashamed at her inability to solve what may be the most important case in her life.

“I promise you Rise, we will bring the perpetrator to justice. You have my word.” 

Rise’s stern expression didn’t change as she turned and walked into her waiting limousine without another word.

[16]

Kamoshida, dressed in a dark green tracksuit with his hood pulled over his head, approached an elderly homeless man in an alleyway in Roppongi. The night sky thundered and lightning flashed as the homeless man uttered nonsense to himself sitting on a milk crate next to a dumpster.

“I need to speak with the Kingpin.”

The man didn’t even acknowledge Kamoshida as he continued his mad ramblings. Kamoshida sighed in annoyance. 

“Mementos.”

With the password spoken, the homeless man immediately ceased all noise. Standing up, his posture was that of a distinguished businessman, he strode over to the wall at the end of the alley and spoke into what was presumably a hidden microphone.

A few seconds later, the ground at the end of the alley parted and revealed a concrete staircase. The homeless man from before returned to his post and resumed his racket. Kamoshida stepped down the staircase which went surprisingly far down only to come to a stop at a steel door.

A small sleek speaker and high tech camera were attached to the wall next to him. The camera seemed to follow Kamoshida’s movements from the moment he stepped into view.

“State your name and purpose.” Were the only words to come out of the speaker.

“Suguru Kamoshida, I have some interesting tech and a proposition for the Kingpin.”

There was a long silence following his sentence and Kamoshida was almost tempted to ask if they’d heard him. Maybe there was a button he was supposed to press before talking? 

As he attempted to clear his throat, the heavy door swung open with incredible speed revealing a low violet light illuminating the room before him, the surprising speed caused Kamoshida to choke on his own saliva. Gathering himself, he stepped into the room only for the door to slam behind him with a weighty clang of steel, Kamoshida flinched at the sudden noise.

In front of him stood a man well above Kamoshida’s already considerable height. Easily 8 feet tall and with ash gray skin and white hair that greatly contrasted Kamoshida’s own, the man was portly but undoubtedly strong enough to easily crush anyone who got in his way.

Back in his criminal days Kamoshida had heard horror stories from his gang about this man, Junya Kaneshiro, more commonly known as Tombstone, was the right hand man of the Kingpin. Exposure to some chemical had turned him into a brick wall of a man with unbreakable skin and incredible strength. Kamoshida had thought that those stories were myths or highly exaggerated, but standing directly in front of the man, he immediately came to believe every one of them.

“Watchu got for us?” Tombstone spoke, revealing his horrible yellow misshapen teeth that for some reason reminded Kamoshida of a shark’s.

Kamoshida gulped audibly, hands sweaty from his nerves. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the device he’d stolen from his jacket pocket. 

“A battery with enough juice to light up the Skytree for weeks and small enough to fit in your pocket.” It wasn’t word for word what Usami had told him but he figured it’d be better to embellish a little.

The enforcer seemed satisfied, Kamoshida ventured to guess based on the fact that he still had all of his limbs attached. Tombstone placed his finger to his earpiece and listened for a second before gesturing down a hallway.

Kamoshida didn’t need to be told twice as he quickly began walking towards the door at the end of the hall. Tombstone followed closely behind him, one of his steps taking him as far as four of Kamoshida’s.

The two of them stepped into a small office containing a large mahogany desk, sitting behind that desk, in an office chair that seemed more like a throne, was a morbidly obese man, in a suit he was nearly bursting out of, without a trace of hair on his head or face. This man was the kingpin of crime in Tokyo, no crime big or small happened without his okay, no gang didn’t pay him a hefty percent of their earnings. He appeared to be organizing a stack of papers on his desk when the pair first came into the office.

“So, you appear to be in possession of something that could be of use to me. I hear that you have a proposition prepared?” The Kingpin spoke first as Kamoshida sat in a small desk chair before the immense desk before him. Kamoshida couldn’t help but notice that the Kingpin’s office was set up so that he was always looking down on you. Tombstone opted to stand directly behind Kamoshida which made him incredibly uneasy.

Kamoshida cleared his throat once again before speaking. “Yes Kingpin sir, I’m offering you this bleeding edge technology in hopes that I may receive something in return. I’ve heard that you deal in special weapons and equipment, you know the kind of stuff used by them.” If the Kingpin understood his meaning, he didn’t show it as he continued to stare at Kamoshida expectantly.

“R-right, anyways I was hoping that in exchange for this I could get my hands on some tech of my own, in order to get some payback on the bastards who’ve wronged me.” Kamoshida stopped his proposal there and waited for a response, sweat poured from his brow down his face.

Kingpin stood up from his chair without a word, walked to the front of his desk and leaned against it, his weight making the desk creak beneath him. Kamoshida, scared out of his wits now, attempted to stand up but was stopped by a forceful pair of gray hands pushing him back into his seat.

The crime boss finally spoke. “Normally, when someone comes in here, waving a shiny new toy, demanding something of me, I have Tombstone break their necks.” Kamoshida flinched as Tombstone began tapping his beefy fingers on Kamoshida’s shoulders.

“However, recently I have cause for celebration! The biggest thorn in my side for years has finally been removed. And that opens up new opportunities in my business, I’m looking for men like you, who have the resolve to take what they want in the world. I have jobs that need to be done and I think you’re the man to do them.”

Kamoshida felt pure bliss hearing those words, he wasn’t going to die, he was going to get a job!

“Here’s what I have in mind,” Kingpin continued. “We’ll take your device to our specialist, he’ll reverse engineer it and keep the schematics. And in exchange you may commission him for your own specialized tech, when it’s completed you’ll begin your employment under Tombstone who will assign you your jobs and supervise your work ethic.”

Kamoshida gulped and turned his head around to the man behind him. Tombstone smiled down on Kamoshida with his sickening teeth.

“Excited to work with ya.”


	9. Chapter 9

[17]

As Ms. Kawakami continued her lecture to the class, Ren stared out the window watching rain batter against the windowsill. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about that night. Even though it had already been a week since the attempted mugging, Ren kept playing it over and over in his head.

He hadn’t really done anything besides catch the mugger’s attention for a moment, but if he hadn’t, things may have gotten bad. As much as Ren didn’t want to admit it, there was a certain thrill in the danger of the situation and a certain amount of pride when the woman thanked him. The mask had concealed his identity and no one saw him leave so he probably didn’t need to worry about being questioned by the police. Maybe, with these new abilities and a mask to hide his face, he could-

“Mr. Amamiya!” His head spun back towards the board.

“Is my class boring you?”

“No ma’am, I apologise.” Ren quickly began copying down what the teacher had written.

“Tch, they don’t pay me enough to deal with kids.” Kawakami’s lesson was cut short as the bell rang, dismissing the final period. “Okay class, don’t forget, there’s a quiz coming up next Thursday!”

As the class got out of their seats and headed out the door, Ann turned to Ren.

“Thank god the teacher only caught you spacing, I was afraid she was gonna see me on my phone again. I cannot get another write-up.”

“Y’know how you keep saying how you don’t understand the homework Kawakami gives us? I think I figured out why.”

Ann gave him a small push. “Oh hush.” She said with a pout. “Hey I’m going to the mall after class today, wanna come? You can hold my bags!”

“Gee when you make an offer like that how can I refuse?”

“C’mon, I’ll buy you food as thanks.”

Ren thought about it for a moment, when a voice from close behind them spoke.

“I’ll hold your bags for you Lady Ann!” A boy with dark blue hair and a handsome face quickly snaked his way between the pair.

“Jesus! Stop doing that Morgana!”

Morgana Mercurius Philemon was a rather strange boy, the son of a family who owned a nightclub in Kichijoji and made bank on a regular basis, he was in the grade below Ann and Ren but didn’t seem to have any interest in his peers. This was a shame for the girls in his grade who constantly confessed their love for him. Instead, ever since he had first seen her, Morgana had become obsessed with Ann Takamaki. He tried to flirt with her in the halls between classes, offered to take her out to expensive dinners, and always referred to her as ‘Lady Ann.’ Ann was flattered, but declined every time, she would have reported him for stalking, but she did appreciate having someone willing to wait on her and buy her sweets when she was lacking in funds (Ann didn’t claim to be a saint, she had needs). 

“Maybe afterwards, we could go out for a romantic evening? Just the two of us?”

“Oh look, the simp’s back at it again, what a surprise.” Ryuji approached the trio who had now made it to the first floor.

“Stupid blond monkey.” Morgana muttered quietly.

Ryuji looked over to Ren. “Hey are you doin’ anything today? The ramen place in Ogikubo is doing half off tonight!” 

Before Ren could respond a brown haired figure approached the group. “Excuse me! I need to speak to Amamiya.” The quartet stared at her. The girl sighed. “Alone.” The group didn’t move an inch.

Ryuji was the first to speak up. “Can’tcha just leave him alone? He hasn’t done anything wrong so just get off our backs already!”

The girl looked ready to aggressively counter, but composed herself before speaking again. “I just need to have a brief chat with Amamiya so I can check in on him.” She turned to Ren. “Could I please speak to you in the student council room?”

Ren begrudgingly obliged and the two walked back up the stairs towards the third floor. Behind him, Ren heard his friend mutter, “This is bullshit.” It made him happy that he had friends who had his back now.

As they entered the student council room and sat down, Makoto pulled out a stack of papers.

Makoto Nijima was the student council president at Shujin Academy and, more relevantly, was the student asked by principal Ushimaru to watch over Ren during his year at Shujin. Shujin Academy took in Ren purely for publicity following his expulsion from his last school. They believed that reforming a criminal would make them seem even more prestigious than they already were. Makoto Nijima was the embodiment of the perfect student, earning straight-A’s for three years, running the student council almost single-handedly, and volunteering for every extracurricular event the school held. Even some of the teachers thought this girl was too uptight.

“I’ve reviewed your recent test scores and I must say I am impressed. You did quite well in all subjects.”

“That’s great so-”

“However! I’ve been informed by some of your professor’s that you’ve been inattentive in class as of late. This kind of behavior needs to stop, otherwise, regardless of your test grades, I will report you to the principal.” Makoto’s red irises stared daggers at Ren.

“Uhh s-sorry, I’ll be sure to work on that.” He raised his hands disarmingly.

Makoto grunted, seemingly satisfied. 

“One more thing. Mr. Kamoshida appears to have left the school’s employment, I’m aware that you and your friends all had problems with him as an educator. I trust that you had nothing to do with his sudden departure?”

“Wha-are you serious?!” Ren stood up, offended at the accusation. “We had nothing to do with that, I know it's tempting, but you can’t blame me for everything that happens at this school!” He slammed his hands down and the table the two were sitting at, split apart, collapsing to the ground and sending the papers on it sliding to the floor.

Ren was angry, angry that once again he was being accused of something he was innocent of, angry that trouble seemed to follow him wherever he went, and angry that even when he did good, he was still hated.

Makoto was shocked at Ren’s sudden outburst. In his two months here, despite constant rumors suggesting his violent nature, Ren had never even so much as raised his voice, even to defend himself from the constant harassment he received. Now, for the first time since meeting the student under her supervision, Makoto was afraid of him.

As Ren realized what he’d just done, he looked down at his hands. Up until now he hadn’t used his strength to destroy something, if he was being honest it scared him how easily he’d broken it. What if it had been a person he hit after losing his temper? Ren had to learn to control this newfound power, otherwise he could end up doing more harm than good.

Makoto said nothing, only staring at him with her mouth agape and her eyes showing a glimpse of her fear. Ren once again put his hands up to show her he meant no harm.

“I’m so sorry, it was an accident. I didn’t, I-” Ren couldn’t find the words and instead left the room as fast as possible.

Makoto stared at the closing door, then once again at the remains of the table and its scattered contents. What had she just witnessed? What kind of a person was Ren Amamiya? And just what kind of a threat did he pose to the school?

[18]

“And… there. You’re all hooked up.” Kamoshida stood in the workshop of the specialist that Kingpin had sent him to. Munehisa Iwai otherwise known in the underground community as ‘The Tinkerer’ finished strapping Kamoshida into the harness of the special equipment he had requested.

“Now the controls of this device are pretty simple.” Iwai explained. “You’ve got your power source right here.” He tapped Kamoshida’s hip where a recreation of the original battery he’d brought in rested. “In order to discharge electricity from your hands, simply flex your finger tips and point where you’re aiming.”

Kamoshida tested the device on a mannequin standing in a nearby corner. With a loud ‘ZAAPP’ the mannequin was left charred and smoking.

“Excellent.” He chuckled, staring down at his smoking palm.

“Now you’re going to be using a lot of power, so when you need to recharge just place your hands on any electrical device and the gloves should soak up power. The wires of the suit are graphene, the most conductive material in the world, so you should be able to discharge and recharge very quickly.” 

“I must say, you do incredible work.”

Iwai ignored the compliment and sat back down at his desk and began work on his next project. “We’re done here.”

“What about the costume?” Kamoshida questioned.

“Costume?”

“Yeah like what’s my motif? What’s my gimmick?”

“Your ‘gimmick’ is you get the hell out of my workshop. I only do what I’m told by the boss” Iwai responded coldly.

Kamoshida did not appreciate being spoken to like that. Sparks flew from his clenched fist.

“Y’know, I may need to do a test run on the new device.” He said with a sick grin on his face.

Iwai didn’t even look up from his work. “You touch me, you die Kingpin will make sure of that.”

Kamoshida let out an angry grunt and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Once he made it back out to the streets of Shinjuku, Kamoshida looked out at the busy streets before him. 

Maybe a test run wasn’t such a bad idea.


	10. Chapter 10

[19]

Ren was going for a walk through the red light district in jeans and his hoodie. He had a lot on his mind after today, it was likely that he would be expelled for destroying school property, he had already been on thin ice from the moment he set foot in the school. Now, he had finally done what everyone expected and stepped out of line, and in front of the student council president no less.

‘I don’t know where I’ll go from here, Sojiro will kick me out and report me to my probation officer, after that I guess I’ll be going to juvie for the next few years. But what after that? My parents won’t take me back and I won’t be able to find a job. Maybe I just shouldn’t go home tonight, I could-’

Before Ren could finish his thought, he heard screaming coming from down the street. The neon signs that lit up the side of every building were mysteriously out in the area before him, however he could see a yellow glow peeking out that was the sole lightsource up ahead. Ren knew he should be running the other way but without even realizing it, his legs had taken him forward towards the source of the commotion.

Ren pushed past the crowd escaping the scene and saw a man standing in the middle of what looked to be a miniature lightning storm around him. The sound of laughter could be heard through the buzz of electricity and Ren was reminded of the monster that attacked Shibuya. Ren felt the familiar buzzing in his head and felt the instinct to jump, clinging 10 feet up to the side of a building. Lightning suddenly shot out to where he’d been standing as well as several other spots. Ren had been lucky to dodge, the people around him weren’t so lucky.

Ren knew this guy had to be stopped before he could do any more damage. He landed back on the ground and saw a surgical mask that had been dropped in the chaos, it wasn’t at all sanitary and he would probably regret it later, but right now his identity had to be protected.

The lightning storm died out and the man causing it shouted out some profanities before walking towards a nearby transformer (the kind that transfers energy to circuits, not the robots in disguise) and placed his hands on it. Ren saw this as his chance and jumped at the man, kicking him to the ground.

“What the fuck?!” The man looked up, completely pissed off.

“Kamoshida?!” Ren was surprised to see his former gym teacher here of all places, attacking the public with electricity.

“You know who I am huh? That means you definitely need to die.” He raised his hands and Ren’s head buzzed again.

Unfortunately, at this range Ren didn’t have enough time to dodge and was blasted back by the force of the lightning. Landing on the concrete with a loud thud, Ren groaned and looked to his chest and saw that the front of his hoodie had a hole burned through it and strangely one of his shoes had flown off.

Kamoshida watched Ren struggle to stand up, clearly still alive. “Shit! Not enough juice!” He placed his hands back on the transformer and began absorbing more energy.

“Damn that hurt.” Ren was back on his feet now and saw Kamoshida charging up for another attack. Thinking quickly, he jumped and stuck onto a building behind him and hid in the shadows.

Kamoshida turned back to his target only to see that he was missing. “NO! Where did you go?!”

Ren began crawling upwards, his back towards the wall, eyes never leaving his attacker. However, Ren didn’t realize that his one remaining shoe was barely hanging onto him. It slipped from his foot and clapped loudly against the concrete. Ren gasped as he made a futile attempt to reach out to the shoe.

“What the hell?” Kamoshida saw the shoe that had apparently just fallen from a wall. His signature sick grin appeared on his face. He took aim at the wall before him and unleashed a blast of his power.

The blast disintegrated the bricks two feet to Ren’s left, much to his relief. However the blast had illuminated the side of the building and Kamoshida now knew exactly where Ren was. He scurried across the wall moving as fast as he could on all fours. Lightning blast after lightning blast struck the building closer and closer to Ren as he dodged nervously, his extra sense giving him progressively less warning.

“Come down here and fight like a man!”

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to come up here and fight like a spider?”

Ren’s powers evidently had a sense of comedic timing as he suddenly lost his grip and smacked loudly onto the ground below. “Damn you Murphy’s Law.” he muttered in pain. Kamoshida approached him while he was down, his hands glowing yellow with power.

“You’re supposed to be the new Spider-Man I take it? Guess they don’t make’em like they used to.”

As Kamoshida lowered his hands to blast Ren, Ren went for a hail mary and sent a punch into Kamoshida’s gut. To both of their surprise, Ren’s fist glowed with blue electrical power and when the punch was delivered, Kamoshida was sent flying backwards into a food stand.

Both parties had the same thought as they stood up. ‘What the hell was that?’

It was then that flashing red and blue lights illuminated the area and the wail of police sirens could be heard. “Tokyo police! Both of you put your hands up!”

Ren instinctively complied, he looked over to Kamoshida and saw him preparing another blast. “Get back!” He cried out. Lightning struck the hood of the car and caused a large explosion, forcing Ren to avert his eyes. Kamoshida used this opportunity to escape unnoticed.

One officer was lying with their back to the ground. Ren moved to help the downed officer, but the other officer cut him off. Stepping out from the smoke and in front of her partner, the officer’s gun was trained on Ren. “Get on the ground and put your hands behind your head.” She was wheezing from smoke inhalation.

“Wait! I just want to help-”

“GET ON THE GROUND!”

Ren held his hands in the air, but took a step back instead.

“STOP!”

He took another step.

“I MEAN IT!”

Ren turned around and sprinted up the wall behind him, his bare feet and hands clapping against the brick. The sound of a gunshot echoed through the area and Ren felt a sharp pain go through his left calf. “Shit!” He finished scaling the building and hopped across to the next rooftop, his enhanced strength making the task fairly easy, even with an injured leg. Landing however, was another story, as he slammed chest first onto the gravelly rooftop Ren let out another cry of pain.

“Ngh... Gotta get home.” He looked over the rooftops before him that would lead to Yongen Jaya. He sighed, “This is gonna be a long night.”

[20]

Kamoshida entered his apartment hunched over and out of breath. He slammed the door behind him and tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter, they bounced and slid right onto the kitchen floor. Kamoshida rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

He hobbled into the living room, fiddling with the buckles of his harness. When he finally managed to slip out of it, he collapsed onto the couch. Staring up at the ceiling he reviewed the night’s events in his head.

He was testing out the new gear on some unsuspecting civilians when all of the sudden some guy in a hoodie and mask pretending to be Spider-Man attacked him. What’s worse is apparently the guy recognized him, now his identity could be revealed to the public and there’d be a manhunt for him. That is, unless that bastard was gunned down by the police, Kamoshida had heard a gunshot while he was escaping but he doubted that a man that could dodge lightning bolts would go down to a single bullet.

“Either way, I can’t risk going out with my face revealed. That guy, annoying as he was, had the right idea, I need a mask.”

The former gym teacher rolled off of the couch with some effort and went into his closet. The first thing that caught his attention was his green tracksuit, with a couple modifications it could make for a good costume. After all if he was going to be one of them now, he needed a costume.

He brought the tracksuit as well as an old yellow t-shirt out of the closet and set to work with a pair of scissors and golden spray paint. 

Kamoshida awoke to sunlight hitting his face the next morning with his head resting on his kitchen counter. He didn’t remember when he’d fallen asleep the night prior. He lifted his head, feeling the skin of his cheek peel off of the granite countertop. His work lay in front of him, he frowned as he took in the fruit of his labor.

“I could’ve sworn it looked better last night.”

Glancing to his right he saw that someone had left a message on his phone. The number was unknown but he let the voicemail play regardless.

“It’s me.” Came a low, gravelly voice on the other end. Kamoshida recognized it as Tombstone, Kingpin’s personal bodyguard.

The voice continued on, “Our boys on the force gave me some interestin’ news about an incident in Shinjuku last night. Apparently, a guy shooting lightning from his hands killed 6 people and injured 8.” 

The voice on the other end paused for a moment before chuckling, Kamoshida’s blood ran cold. “Y’see the thing is, I don’t remember ever asking you to do that. You remember what the boss said... right? You work for me, you do what I say.”

Another pause sounded through the phone, the sound of Kamoshida’s heartbeat was deafening. “H-hello?” Kamoshida asked the phone before remembering this was a message.

“But I’m a nice guy, so I’m letting you off with a warning, your one warning. Pull this shit again and I will crush your head in my palm.” The message ended with that and the automated voice asked Kamoshida if he wanted to delete the message or not.

Kamoshida didn’t hear it though, he had dropped the phone and stumbled into his bathroom. He was hunched over the toilet, vomiting loudly. When he finally finished emptying his stomach, he dug into his medicine cabinet for any pills he could find, popping a few into his mouth and swallowing them dry.

A wave of calm fell over him and the tension in his muscles relaxed. He closed the cabinet and came face to face with his reflection. He saw in himself the eyes of a coward, afraid of more freaks with powers threatening his position. 

They had cost him everything! His fame, his career, his job. But no more, Kamoshida’s expression turned stern. Now he was the one with powers and after he got his payback on the school that wronged him, he was coming after the people who threatened him, who thought they had power over him. He was the king and he would show them all that fact.

Kamoshida marched back into his kitchen and stared at the suit sitting on the counter, pulling the homemade mask over his face. 

After all, he was always meant to be a star.


	11. Chapter 11

[21]

Ren was exhausted after last night, he’d gotten home at close to 2am and his feet were bleeding from walking so far barefoot. Luckily, the secondhand shop near Leblanc had an old pair of red hightops that the owner graciously let Ren have after seeing his bare feet. He would definitely have to pay the man back for his kindness later.

Oddly, when Ren got up for school the next morning, Sojiro didn’t kick him out of the house or even mention any calls from school. But Ren wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so he went about his morning like normal.

“Yo, what’s with the dirty Ronald McDonald shoes?” Futaba noticed Ren’s odd choice of footwear.

“Oh, uh my normal shoes got really dirty the other day so I’m using my spares.”

Futaba seemed skeptical, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

As Ren waited for the train to Aoyama, his whole body flinched when he received a tap on his shoulder.

“Whoa! Someone’s jumpy today.” It was Ann trying to surprise him.

“Sorry, just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

“Oh yeah, studying for the quiz today? I tried to but fell asleep at my desk, my back’s actually killing me this morning.” She said whilst stretching. 

Ren looked away as he saw a peak of Ann’s stomach. “Wait a minute, quiz?” The train pulled into the stop in front of them.

“Uh, yeah in Ms. Chouno’s class? Don’t tell me you forgot?”

Ren remained silent, his eyes wide as the two pushed into the train car. With no spots to sit down at, the two of them had to stand nearly chest to chest with one another.

“Wow I expected that much from Ryuji, but not from you of all people!” Ann continued, attempting to hide a chuckle very poorly.

As the next stop loaded up its passengers, Ann felt herself be pushed forward into Ren’s chest, her face immediately going red as her chin rested on Ren’s shoulder. ‘Whoa, he’s a lot more solid than he looks.’ she thought to herself.

Ren was standing there, equally red faced as his grip on the ceiling handle tightened. ‘So soft.’ He thought as two mounds pressed into his upper abdominals.

When the train reached Aoyama Itchome, the train car emptied quickly, with Ren and Ann being some of the last to get off. Ren winced in embarrassment when he noticed he’d accidentally torn the handle from the ceiling. Not knowing what to do with it, he gently placed it on a nearby seat as he walked out.

“So um, what did Miss President want to talk about yesterday?” Ann asked, trying to break the awkward silence between them.

Ren grimaced as he remembered the events at school yesterday. “Just grade stuff and attendance, y’know the usual. Well, that’s not entirely true.” He said, wanting to get it off of his chest. “She also kinda accused me of doing something to make Kamoshida quit.” Ren rubbed the back of his neck.

“What?! That bitch!”

“Shhh! Keep your voice down!” Ren whispered.

“No! Who does she think she is, trying to defend that asshole Kamoshida and get you in trouble! I’ll give her a piece of my mind!” Ann started to stomp towards the school.

“No! It’s fine, you don’t need to do that. I don’t need any other reasons for them to be mad at me.” Ren remembered what he’d done to the table in the student council room.

Ann seemed frustrated, but she relented. “Fine! But the second she tries to accuse you of anything else, I will sock that bitch in the face. Doesn’t she know what Kamoshida put us all through?! Especially with… Shiho…” She turned away, tears built up in her eyes as she remembered her now hospitalized friend.

Ren gently placed his hands on Ann’s shoulders. The two of them were standing in front of the school’s entrance now. “Ann, I’m sorry for what that monster did to her, I promise that he will face justice.” He said with a reassuring smile. He thought about the night before and his expression became more serious. ‘He will.’ Ren thought to himself.

Ann sniffed and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “Thanks, I appreciate that. But don’t think I forgot about Nijima! If she tries to pull something she’s dead.”

“Ok tough girl, now let’s go take that quiz I’m gonna fail!” He said with joke enthusiasm, raising his fist to the air.

Ann giggled and the two of them entered the school.

Later that day, Ren sat eating bread alone on the rooftop when he got a text alert on his recently repaired phone. It was from Sumire Yoshizawa, a first year girl who Ren was acquaintances with, much to her twin sister’s dismay.

“Are we still on for this afternoon Senpai?” The text read. Sumire and Ren had a deal that if he helped her with her social anxiety, she would teach him some gymnastics. It had been her idea and Ren was perfectly willing to help for free, but she had insisted on paying him back somehow.

“My body is ready.” He texted back jokingly.

There was a long pause before Sumire texted back, if Ren had to guess she was busy being incredibly flustered. Eventually she did text back the okay, but Ren didn’t notice as the door to the rooftop swung open.

“Students aren’t supposed to be up here.” Makoto Nijima stood at the entrance to the stairs looking at Ren with her arms crossed.

Ren stood up and grabbed his bag. “Sorry, I’ll leave.” He stood up and quickly made for the exit, only to be stopped by Nijima’s outstretched hand.

“Hold on. We need to talk.” Ren gulped.

The two of them took their seats at the pile of discarded desks. The tension in the atmosphere was thick as the overcast sky threatened a possible downpour. Makoto was the first to speak.

“I want to start off by saying that I’m sorry.” That caught Ren off guard. “I unfairly accused you with no evidence and that’s no way for a student council president to act.” Makoto looked genuinely remorseful for her actions and Ren felt his heartstrings tug a bit. 

“But now onto what I need to ask you.” Ren’s compassion dissipated as Makoto went back to her usual self. “How did you do what you did yesterday? That table was 200 pounds of solid oak and you smashed it with your bare hands, that shouldn’t be possible.”

Ren didn’t say anything.

“I’m not recording this, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Makoto placed her phone on the table, showing that it wasn’t recording their conversation. “And I didn’t tell the school what happened because I wanted to hear from you first.”

There was a silence between the two, thunder rumbled off in the distance. Ren finally spoke up, “I don’t know what to tell you Nijima-san. It must’ve been an old desk, maybe one of the legs was loose, I don’t know. But I’m sorry, I’ll pay for the damages if that’s what you need but there’s really nothing else I can do for you.”

This answer clearly didn’t please Makoto, but she said nothing.

“If that’s all, I’ll be going now. Lunch is nearly over.” Ren stood up and walked out the door.

Makoto sat alone on the roof, a determined look on her face. “There’s more to you Ren Amamiya, and I intend to find out exactly what that is.”

[22]

The sun had gone down a few hours before Principal Ushimaru finished the last of his paperwork for the day. He sat at home on his couch ready to relax for the evening with a bit of scotch and some late night television. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he’d become addicted to the shopping network, sure most of the things he bought he’d never actually used but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future.

As he went to sit down on his recliner with his glass in hand, the TV cutout followed quickly by the lights. ‘I literally just sat down.’ He thought to himself as he tiredly pushed himself out of the comfortable chair.

Going down into the basement, he found the circuit breaker quickly and flipped the switches. To his surprise, the lights turned back on and the TV could be heard working again upstairs. He slowly made the climb back up the stairs. ‘Thank god I don’t have to get into it with the cable people tonight.’ 

When he arrived in the living room he collapsed back into his recliner with a loud sigh of contentment. ‘I may just call in sick tomorrow and give myself an early weekend. I really don’t feel like dealing with a bunch of brats tomorrow.’ He reached for the glass of scotch he’d left on the table next to him but only felt empty space there instead.

“Y’know Ushimaru,” A gloved hand placed itself on Ushimaru’s shoulder, his heart stopped for a moment. “I hate your guts, but I gotta admit, you’ve got good taste in liquor.” The empty glass was set back on the table and a second hand grabbed his other shoulder.

“W-whatever you want, I-I keep the money in a safe upstairs. Just p-please don’t hurt me!” Ushimaru pleaded.

“C’mon Ushimaru, is that any way to talk to an old friend?”

Ushimaru tried to place the voice. “K-Kamoshida?”

“Well, actually nowadays I’m thinking of getting a new name. How does ‘Electro’ sound?”

“W-what is it you want?”

“Straight to business huh? I guess that’s always been your style.” Kamoshida squeezed the older man’s shoulders before releasing him and stepping in front of the recliner.

Ushimaru took in Kamoshida’s appearance, apparently he’d fashioned himself a costume made from a green tracksuit with golden lightning bolts going down either side of his chest and bright yellow gloves, boots, and speedo worn over the pants. The most notable part of the outfit was the mask which appeared to be a balaclava with a large yellow star sewn onto the front that took up most of the mask, each of the star’s points was jagged like a lightning bolt and limply hung off of the mask. Ushimaru would’ve laughed if his life wasn’t seemingly in danger.

Kamoshida’s expression turned dead serious. “What I want from you is the name of the student who sent you the video.”

Ushimaru sweated bullets. “The video was anonymous! I have no idea who sent it!”

Kamoshida walked to Ushimaru’s side, he sighed before speaking again. “Y’know, when I was at Shujin, I was never much for science classes. They were always too boring for my tastes. But I’ve actually learned some fascinating things about electricity lately.” He cracked his knuckles, sparks flew off of the gloves, and Ushimaru flinched at the sound.

“Did you know that the amount of volts that go into your body don’t really pose much of a threat to you? People get struck by billions of volts from lightning and still survive. It’s current that you’ve really gotta watch out for.” Kamoshida placed a finger on Ushimaru’s chest.

“With less than 1 amp going through your body for just a few seconds your heart can stop. Just. Like. That.” He snapped his fingers and Ushimaru closed his eyes in fear. Only to open them a few moments later when nothing happened.

Kamoshida laughed as he took his hand off of the principal’s chest, he leaned down and started speaking in Ushimaru’s ear. “Wanna see something cool?” He pointed to the lamp in the corner of the room opposite him. “ZAP!” He yelled, a thin yellow bolt shot from his fingertip into the bulb and it exploded, sending glass flying. “Damn I love that.”

Kamoshida stood back up and stretched. “Look, I’m a busy guy. So how about we cut a deal? You tell me who sent the video and I promise I won’t tell anyone you told me. Hmm, how about that?”

“I’m telling you, I don’t-”

“DON’T! YOU! DARE! Give me that bullshit!” Kamoshida grabbed onto Ushimaru’s ears and the older man instantly felt like his head was in a blender as the shock travelled through his head. He screamed in agony as his torturer laughed at his pain. Kamoshida released him after a few seconds, the victim reeling in shock but still alive.

“Now do you wanna tell me or-”

“Mishima! It was Yuuki Mishima!”

Kamoshida’s sadistic grin made another appearance. “Well thanks old timer! That’s all I needed!” He clapped the dust off of his gloves and made towards the front door.

Ushimaru fell back into his seat, placing his hand over his rapidly beating heart and breathing heavily.

“Oh! Before I left there was one more thing.” The principal’s breathing hitched. Kamoshida made his way back behind the recliner. “We never discussed my severance package!” He placed both gloved palms on the man’s head and unleashed his full power, causing the man to scream and twitch in pain until he ceased moving altogether.

Satisfied with his work, ‘Electro’ stepped out the door into the night. “One down, one to go!” He said with a smile. “Though hell, if it’s this easy might as well just kill whoever else gets in the way too!” For the first time since losing his job, Kamoshida felt things were genuinely looking up.


	12. Chapter 12

[23]

Ren Amamiya sat at his desk reading a book during study hall. Normally he’d be in gym class right now, but since the gym teacher was fired, this hour was now utilized by most students to go on their phones or socialize.

His focus was hardly on the book in front of him, instead he was thinking about the former gym teacher, Kamoshida, still on the loose after murdering innocent bystanders, he had to be stopped before his crime spree would take any more lives.

He had decided that tonight, he would take to the streets in search of the lightning wielding maniac. He even had a change of clothes and his Spider-Man mask from the night of the vigil, packed in his bag. Now, all he could do was wait with anticipation until the school day came to a close.

Ren suddenly felt a wet wad of paper hit the right side of his head. Looking over to the other side of the room, the perpetrator didn’t make themselves clear. ‘Huh, I guess it only warns me if there’s a threat.’ He thought to himself, wiping the spitball out of his hair. He looked over the classroom around him, Ann was texting, Ms. Kawakami was asleep at her desk, and a couple of students were picking on Mishima.

Yuuki Mishima was a short and meek boy with a talent for technology but poor social skills. Ren had worked with him on a history project before and got to know him a little. He knew Mishima was one of the top of the class and wanted to make movies when he graduated, he also had a massive crush on Ann’s best friend Shiho. He was devastated when the poor girl was hospitalized. 

While Ren thought it’d be a stretch to call Mishima a friend, he didn’t want to see him be bullied. Ren stood up and walked over to Mishima’s desk. The boys who had been teasing Mishima looked up in fear at the transfer student standing before them. The rumors surrounding Ren were completely fabricated, such as that he had ties to the Yakuza and always carried knives with him. These rumors usually annoyed Ren more than anything, but in this instance they worked to his benefit, the boys backed off of Mishima immediately.

“If anyone starts pulling shit like that again, let me know alright?” Ren whispered to the meek boy.

Mishima nodded his head. A small smile formed on his face and he mouthed the words ‘Thank you’ to Ren. Ren nodded and headed back to his seat, ready to spend the rest of the hour finishing his book.

Before he could make it back to his desk however, the sound of tires loudly screeching against the pavement could be heard from outside. This sound was immediately followed by what sounded like screams of terror. Everyone got up from their seats to look outside, Ms. Kawakami woke up from her nap.

“Class! Everyone! Take your seats!” She yelled over the sounds of the class speculating the origin of the noise. The teacher made her way to the window and everyone saw a strangely dressed man standing in the middle of the street outside the school. Garbed in green and yellow the man’s hands appeared to be glowing. When two civilians ran to get away from the man, electrical arcs shot from his hands into the fleeing civilians and they dropped to the ground, dead.

“Lock the doors! Everyone, get to the back wall of the classroom and close the blinds!” Her orders went unheard as students rushed out the classroom in fear. The hallways became flooded as students tried their best to escape as fast as possible, jamming the doorways with the amount of bodies trying to leave.

Ann Takamaki searched the classroom for Ren, she saw that his bag was missing from his desk and presumed he must have been one of the first to leave. She however, was stuck at the back of the crowd, unable to move due to the foot traffic in the halls.

“Ann! What the hell’s goin’ on?” Asked Ryuji Sakamato. The only two blondes at Shujin finding each other easily in the crowd.

“There’s a supervillain attacking outside the school!” Mishima answered, appearing next to the blonde duo.

“For real?”

“Students please, return to your classrooms in an orderly fashion and follow procedure!” Came the voice of one of the teachers trying desperately to regain control of the situation.

“Where’s Ren?” Asked Ryuji, concerned for his best friend.

“He must’ve gotten ahead of us! I can’t see him in the crowd.” Ann responded standing on her toes to try to see ahead.

“I didn’t take Amamiya-kun to be the type to run from danger, but in this situation I can hardly blame him.” Mishima said to no one in particular.

Ann turned to her classmate “There’s a guy outside trying to fry everyone with electricity, you’d have to be an idiot to run towards the threat.”

Meanwhile on the school rooftop, Ren Amamiya was stripping out of his Shujin uniform and into his makeshift ‘costume’ as fast as possible. “Or I guess he’ll just come to me then! Saves me the trouble of searching for him I guess!” He said to himself sarcastically, hopping around on foot as he slipped his pants on, his mask held in his teeth. As he finished concealing his identity, Ren tossed his bag with his school uniform under the desks and leapt off of the rooftop.

Kamoshida blocked off the main entrance to the school with his classic grin on his face, ready to electrocute as many students as it took to find his target. “MISHIMA!” He called out. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, the high he got from standing on the Olympic podium was nothing compared to what he was feeling right now. The power this device gave him, last time he was at this school he was a king, now it made him feel like a god!

Before Kamoshida could step into the building, he was grabbed from behind and thrown back out onto the street. Landing on his back, he felt the air leave his lungs and he sat up gasping in a breath. He looked up at his assailant standing protectively in front of the building.

“You again?!” Kamoshida couldn’t see the boy’s face behind a crappy Spider-Man mask, but he didn’t need to in order to know it was the same kid that got in his way the first time he used his device.

“Me again.” The boy replied readying himself to fight as Kamoshida stood back up.

[24]

Ren ran right into the fight, trying to knock Kamoshida out as fast as possible. In retrospect, it may not have been the greatest idea to put distance between himself and Kamoshida, who excelled in long range fighting, but it was necessary to get him away from the school where he could do the most damage. Now that the two of them were out in the streets, students were using the main entrance to flee to safety.

As Ren tried to land a punch on Kamoshida, the man ducked and let loose a bolt of lightning that sent Ren crashing onto the hood of a car.

“Huh, normally that much would kill a person, but I guess you’re a special case aren’tcha?” Kamoshida taunted as he sent another bolt at Ren.

This time, Ren was able to dodge, rolling back onto the roof of the car, the hood was engulfed in flames as the battery overcharged. Ren used the smoke produced to his advantage, concealing himself behind it and leaping out with a kick to the villain’s chest. Kamoshida fell to the ground and struggled to pick himself back up.

“Why’re you doing this Kamoshida? Attacking a school full of kids? Are you really that full of hate?”

“It’s Electro now, I’m here to kill a fuckin’ kid who got me fired.” Kamoshida reached for the dial on his harness, he cranked up the wattage as far as it could go, he’d need all the power he had to kill this ‘New Spider-Man.’ 

“You got yourself fired, you were a monster to those kids.”

“Bad children need discipline.” He chuckled. “It’s actually lucky that I found you here, After I was done here you were next on my list. This saves me the trouble of searching for you.”

“Y’know, it’s funny you should say that-” Ren’s head suddenly went crazy with buzzing as he leapt out of the way of a large blast of lightning, way bigger than any he’d previously used. The side of the building it hit had a large hole in it now. Even Kamoshida seemed shocked at the power he’d just sent out. Staring at his smoking gloves with awe.

“Oh you’re fucked now kid.” Kamoshida fired off another large blast, as Ren dodged, the blast hit a parked sedan and sent it rolling across the street on its side. It was only thanks to the warning in Ren’s head, informing him of when Kamoshida would fire, that Ren was still alive right now. He may be faster than a normal human now, but he was definitely not faster than lightning, he just had to avoid Kamoshida’s aim, not the lightning itself.

Ren managed to get in close and tried to strike Kamoshida in the chest, however it seemed Ren underestimated Kamoshida’s fighting prowess. Kamoshida leaned out of the punch and kicked Ren in his left calf, the same calf that he’d been shot in two nights ago by the police. 

Along with Ren’s new powers apparently he had enhanced healing now, the gunshot wound he had suffered less than 48 hours ago had stopped bleeding after a short while. And while it still hurt like hell, Ren was able to conceal it throughout the day, however being struck in the same spot he’d been shot in caused the pain to shoot throughout his leg once again.

“Agh!” Ren collapsed to the ground, nursing his leg.

“Damn, didn’t think I hit you that hard.” Kamoshida taunted before stomping on the injured leg, a small cracking noise could be heard coming from it. He readied his hands to launch another attack, but nothing came out. “What the?” In all of his showboating, Kamoshida had forgotten that he had a limited supply of power and would need to recharge. “Shit! You stay right there, I’ll be back.” He gave the downed boy another kick and went in search of a power source.

Meanwhile in the school, the halls were finally emptying out as students were free to escape through the school’s main entrance without fear of being shocked to death by a costumed maniac.

Ann and Ryuji were moving through the halls at the back of the thinning crowd when a voice called out to them. “Lady Ann, you’re safe!” Morgana came down the stairs from the first-year hallway.

“Morgana? Yeah I’m fine, look let’s just focus on getting out of here okay?”

“Of course Lady Ann, I will guard you with my life!”

“Whatever.”

The trio were among the last of the students to exit the building. When they made it out onto the road they spotted the man who had started the attack. The villain in green and yellow was hunched over a damaged van, the hood open, he seemed to be doing something with the battery, the group didn’t watch long enough to figure out. 

“Shit! Hide!” Ryuji whispered loudly. The group ducked into the alleyway across from the school, vanishing from sight right before the man finished whatever he had been doing.

Kamoshida looked out onto the street around him as he finished siphoning power from the car battery. He thought he’d heard voices, but dismissed it as he walked back to his target. Unbeknownst to him, the three students who had narrowly avoided his wrath watched him from behind their cover.

Ren was able to slowly stand up, putting almost all of his weight on his right leg, he prepared for the incoming assault from Electro. ‘I’m not gonna be able to dodge fast enough like this.’ He thought to himself. He looked around for anything in the environment that could help him, out of the corner of his eye he saw something.

Kamoshida approached the spot where he’d left his foe injured. “Sorry for the wait, you wouldn’t believe how bad traffic was.” He looked to find the spot he’d left moments ago empty. “You didn’t run away did y-” His sentence stopped short when he saw a large black object hurtling through the air towards him at high speed.

Kamoshida was thrown off of his feet for the second time in this fight as a car tire, rim and all, smashed into his chest. He was lucky that the harness that gave him his power was heavily padded, otherwise who knows how bad the damage could have been. Kamoshida did still suffer a few broken ribs from the impact, he groaned in pain as his body begged him to stop, but he slowly stood up anyway.

Ren was incredibly tired. The blows he’d suffered were really weighing on him as he limped over to his injured opponent, mentally preparing to continue the fight. That was when the police sirens came into earshot. Ren picked up on it before Kamoshida, and he limped to get out of sight before he could be arrested or shot… again.

“You’re leaving?! Coward!” Called Kamoshida, clutching at his injured ribs. But Ren knew he didn’t have the strength to continue the fight, neither of them did. If Ren could just escape, then Kamoshida would be caught and sent to jail.

Ren began to climb the wall of the building he’d approached, his extra sense went off too late as an electric shock hit him in the back and sent him falling back down. This shock wasn’t nearly on the power level as before, Kamoshida must be conserving the power he has remaining. Ren knew the police were close, Kamoshida wouldn’t be able to escape their custody when they arrived.

He set to work scaling the building again, this time making it to the top before he could be shot again. He pulled himself up with a large amount of effort. He looked down and saw the squad cars surrounding Kamoshida who looked desperate, scared even.

“You won’t take me! I AM A GOD! I AM ELECTRO!” Kamoshida turned the dial on his harness to maximum once again. He opened his palms in an attempt to blast the police away, but something went wrong with his equipment. 

Whether it was the wiring or the battery, something shorted out, and instead of sending electricity outward, Kamoshida’s body became encased in his electricity. A light shined so brightly throughout the street that it was like staring at the sun, everyone present had to look away, lest their eyes burn. Over the loud hum of electricity came an even louder noise as Kamoshida screamed in pain. 

After a few seconds, the light died down and all that Ren could see of Kamoshida was his scorched body. The police handcuffed the now unconscious man and carried him back to the squad car for transportation to the nearest hospital. Ren felt bad for the man, even if he was a monster.

Once upon a time, Kamoshida had been a star, but like every star, he eventually burned out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This just about concludes the Kamoshida arc of the story, there's gonna be one more chapter that'll serve as an epilogue for this arc and maybe introduce the new one. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I'm enjoying writing this and I hope you're all enjoying reading it too. If there's anything you think I need to improve upon writing-wise, let me know.


	13. Chapter 13

[25]

Ren stood atop the building, watching the police carry off the burned man. With a sigh of relief, he turned back towards Shujin and made the jump to the next rooftop across from him, he had to get his bag and change back into his uniform, otherwise he could be caught and questioned.

Landing on the neighboring rooftop, Ren’s vision started to become blurry, he limped his way to the edge, preparing to make the next jump. Just one more and he would be home free. However as he got to the edge, the strain on his body became too much and he blacked out, falling into the alley between the buildings.

Ryuji watched the police drive off with Kamoshida in tow, Ann and Morgana standing behind him in the alley, waiting for the all clear. Ryuji was about to inform them that it was safe when all of the sudden a crash sounded from the dumpster behind them and the lid slammed shut on impact. Immediately they all turned in fear at the sudden noise, when after a few moments, nothing happened, Ryuji picked up a loose steel pipe and gestured to the others to remain quiet and get behind him.

His heart racing as he slowly approached the dumpster, Ryuji held the pipe like a bat, prepared to defend himself and the others if need be. When he was only a few feet from the dumpster, the lid cracked open and a masked figure climbed out, groaning in pain. His clothes were a mess, torn and burned, most likely by the lightning being shot around earlier.

“S-stay back man! I got a pipe and I ain’t afraid to use it!”

“Whu?” The masked man seemed dazed and tired. He stumbled towards the frightened students.

“I’m warnin’ ya!” If the masked man heard he didn’t show it, only mumbling quietly.

“R-Ryuji? I-I need… ugh I need h-help.” The figure stumbled forward again, his words going unheard. His hand stretched out to the blonde delinquent.

The man had gotten too close for comfort and Ryuji swung the pipe in his hand, knocking directly into the side of the man’s head and sending him to the ground unconscious.

“Ryuji! What’d you do!” Ann cried from behind.

“He could’ve been dangerous! I’m trying to keep us safe!”

“What if he needed help?”

“I dunno! He tried to grab me and I panicked!” The trio now stood over the dumpster man’s unconscious form.

“You don’t think he’s dead… right?” Ann questioned.

“No way! I can’t be a murderer! I don’t wanna go to prison!”

“Should... should we take off his mask?” Asked Morgana.

Ann reached down for the red Spider-Man mask, most of the paint on the cheap store bought mask had peeled off, leaving the white eyes as the only identifying feature. As Ann’s hand made contact, a groan could be heard from beneath. The trio quickly retreated back in fear, watching the figure closely.

“Oh thank god I didn’t kill him!” Ryuji said while panting, the tension of the situation getting to him.

When the man made no movements to get up, the group approached again. Ann reached down and grabbed the mask, slowly pulling it off of his head, the face beneath it was one all three were familiar with. Both of his eyes were closed and one had a large purple bruise around it, his normally handsome face was littered with small cuts from shards of glass and the cheek that Ryuji had hit with the pipe was already swelling.

“R-Ren?” The three gasped. What was their friend doing here? Why was he wearing this outfit? Had he really been the one fighting that superpowered lunatic?

“Holy shit, he’s hurt bad! We need to get him to a hospital!” Ryuji cried.

“N-no.” Their friend was still lying on the ground with his eyes closed, but he’d managed to speak loud enough for them to hear. “N-no hospital… Clinic… Yongen.” Those were all the words he managed to get out before going silent again.

“Are you crazy? That’s too far! Plus, are we just supposed to carry an unconscious guy onto the subway? They’ll stop us for sure!

Ren said nothing as he continued to lie on the ground of the alley.

Ann finally spoke up, taking on a serious expression. “Do what he says. Morgana you take one arm, Ryuji take the other.” She ordered the boys.

Both of them complied and lifted Ren off of the ground, each one of them supporting him on their shoulders. Ren’s head hung low, still clearly unconscious.

“Uh Ann, I think we still have a problem here.” Ryuji pointed out.

“Hang on.” Ann dug through her school bag and pulled out a large pair of women’s sunglasses that she had previously used for a modeling shoot. She lifted Ren’s head up and placed the sunglasses over his closed eyes.

“Seriously? We’re gonna ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ our injured friend?” Ryuji asked incredulously.

“I think it’s a great idea Lady Ann.”

“Shuddup Morgana, no one wants to hear it.” 

“Come on, let’s hurry up and get to the subway before they find us.” Ann ordered the two boys.

The subway ride to Yongen Jaya was an awkward one, luckily for them, the attack on Shujin hadn’t been on a large enough scale to stop the trains that afternoon. Ann sat with Ren on the seats while Ryuji and Morgana stood nearby. Ren’s head was hanging back on the seat’s headrest and his mouth was slightly ajar.

As the train slowed to a stop at one of the stations, the unconscious teen’s head slid to a rest on Ann’s shoulder. An old woman sitting across from the pair giggled while looking at them, Ann turned toward her looking confused.

“What a cute couple the two of you make.” The old woman said to the young blonde. Ann’s face became as red as her friend’s mask.

“N-no we’re uh, we’re just friends!” She said, giving off an awkward fake laugh.

As the train started to move once again, Ren’s body slipped from its position and he came to a rest on Ann’s lap.

“You should try telling him that.” The old woman chuckled at her own joke.

Ann sat red faced for the rest of the train ride, trying to look anywhere but at the boy using her lap as a pillow. When the train finally arrived in Yongen Jaya, the other two boys pulled their unconscious friend off of the flustered girl and carried him out of the station and to the clinic.

None of them knew why Ren had specified that he be taken here. They entered the clinic and saw a punk rock looking woman sitting at the front desk. Upon seeing the teenagers enter with the body, she immediately stood up and told them to bring him into the back and place him on the bed.

The woman came into the room immediately ready to help their friend. “Clear out of here, I need some space to work.” She ordered the trio and they hesitantly complied, deciding to trust their friend to the doctor.

When Ren finally regained consciousness, he found himself in a small room with X-rays and anatomy charts covering the surrounding walls.

“Oh good, you’re finally awake.” Came a feminine voice from next to him.

Ren turned to see the doctor he recognized from the night of the vigil. He reached up to his face only to touch bare skin, realizing that he was no longer in costume, in fact he wasn’t wearing any clothes save for his boxers. He looked over himself and tried to cover his body, only to feel his body refuse to move.

“Sorry, I had to cut your clothes off of you, you had suffered some serious injuries. “Major electrical burns, several broken bones, as well as a concussion, you do know you have an untreated gunshot wound in your left leg, right?” The back alley doctor listed off Ren’s various injuries.

“But you know what the strangest thing is?” Ren turned back to the doctor as she continued. “In my entire career I’ve never seen anyone heal from so many wounds as fast as you.” Ren’s eyes went wide as the woman sat next to him and reviewed what she had found out about him, she ran a finger over Ren’s exposed chest. 

“In the 6 hours you’ve been here, you’ve made a month’s worth of recovery. And your muscular structure is unlike anything I’ve seen in someone your age, your muscle density is multiple times what it should be for someone of your build.” The doctor’s brown eyes stared directly into Ren’s grey ones. “Just what exactly are you, Ren Amamiya?”

[26]

Naoto Shirogane walked through the backstreets of a small district of Tokyo, her mind was on the recent events that had occurred at her work. A few days ago, a former gym coach attacked the school he’d been fired from with the intent to kill everyone there, having killed the school’s principal in his home the day before. What made the situation noteworthy was the fact that the man had been using advanced technology to blast lightning from his hands. When the officers on the scene attempted to arrest him, his technology backfired and burned the man to a crisp.

The man had survived though. As of now he was being treated in the hospital for third degree burns, apparently the equipment he was wearing had burned so hot that the graphene wires had seared themselves to his bones and doctors were unable to surgically remove them. Naoto couldn’t imagine the amount of pain that must have caused. After his treatment was complete, he would be facing trial and most likely be going to maximum security prison for the rest of his life.

As Naoto finished reviewing the case in her head, she entered the establishment she’d come to this area for. The bell rang softly as she entered the cafe, it was empty save for herself and the young black haired barista behind the counter.

“Welcome, what can I get for you?” Asked the young man, a smile on his face as the detective sat at the nearest stool and set the bag she was carrying down next to her.

“I’ll have the house blend please.”

“Coming right up.” He set to work on the order. As he got to work, the detective struck up a conversation with the handsome barista.

“Pretty crazy stuff going on around the city lately huh? First the Goblin attacks Shibuya alongside a terrorist attack and just a few days ago some insane guy calling himself Electro attacks a school. What’s this city coming to?”

“Oh yeah, I heard about that. The police caught the guy though, right?” Came the response as the young man continued to work on the order.

“Yeah, but not before he could rack up a body count. He ended up killing 11 people with that special tech he was using.”

The barista’s mood turned somber as he set the cup in front of Naoto. “It’s horrible that there are people out there capable of committing such evil acts.”

“It is, but luckily it seems that there’s people out there capable of doing a lot of good too. Like the man who defeated Electro.”

“Oh? I thought it was the police that caught him.”

“They did, but there was supposedly another individual at the scene. One who apparently fought off the villain with super strength and escaped by climbing up a wall just like Spider-Man.”

“I don’t know if I believe that. I mean, Spider-Man’s dead right? I don’t think another person can fill that gap he left behind so easily.”

“I believe it, after all Narukami did say that we are all heroes.”

The barista paused, not sure how to reply, so Naoto spoke up again.

“I actually have a theory on this ‘new Spider-Man.’ Would you care to hear it?”

“Go ahead, shoot.” He encouraged the detective.

“Well we can say with certainty, that he’s a citizen of Tokyo-”

“How do you know it's a man?” He interrupted before she could continue.

“Several people apparently heard him speak and all of them determined him to be a young male.” She answered without missing a beat. She continued on with her theory.

“We know with certainty that he’s a citizen of Tokyo due to the speed at which he responds to crimes. He’s approximately 6 feet tall with a lean muscular build. Based on that information along with what I mentioned before, he can be inferred to be someone in his late teens to early twenties, also most likely a student. Based on when he arrived at the scene at Shujin, one could even infer that he’s likely a student there.”

Naoto paused to look at the barista, who was listening intently with an unreadable expression.

“He stepped in to help the students escape and hold off Electro himself, but was injured in the resulting fight, his left leg was apparently broken. Now assuming this man has the same healing abilities as the original Spider-Man, his leg should mostly be healed by now but he would most likely still have a slight limp.”

Naoto continued to speak when the boy in front of her said nothing. “I couldn’t help but notice that you have a slight limp in your leg as well, Mr. Amamiya.”

The barista’s expression became stern. “You know who I am?” He questioned.

“I do. I’ve been following you for some time now. My name is Detective Naoto Shirogane of the Tokyo Police Force, it’s nice to finally meet you Ren Amamiya.”

“Am I under arrest or something? This all seems pretty speculative.”

“Before I answer that, what does having power mean to you?”

“What?”

“Just answer the question.”

Ren thought about it for a moment before turning back to the detective. “I guess it means using it to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

“Good answer, but talk is cheap.” Naoto reached into the bag she’d brought and pulled out two small objects, setting them on the counter.

“What are those?”

“Webshooters, it's how Narukami shot webs from his wrists.”

“Really? I always just figured they came out of him.” Ren picked up the webshooters and examined them. “You’re giving these to me? Just like that? Wait why do you have these?”

“I’m the one who made them. I was there when Spider-Man was just starting out, Narukami wouldn’t have gotten much further than you are now without his team backing him up. And to answer your other question, no I am not just giving you those, I’m loaning them to you, consider this a trial run. If, at the end of this, I feel that you’re ready for them, then, I will give them to you. If I don’t, then I will take them back and expect you to quit doing this altogether and if you don’t, I will report my findings to the police.”

Naoto reached her hand out to Ren. “Do we have a deal?”

Ren stared at the outstretched hand for a moment before accepting, shaking the detective’s hand. “Deal.”

“Then congratulations kid, at least for the time being, you’re Spider-Man.”

[Bonus]

Ren sat in the attack of Leblanc in his pajamas, his new webshooters strapped to his wrists. He recalled the words Naoto had left him before she departed. ‘Don’t play with them, they aren’t a toy.’

“Don’t play with them, bleh bleh bleh.” He mocked the detective’s words to himself. Ren pressed the center button on his right palm and a line of web shot out onto the wall above the stairs.

“Oh shit!” Ren tried to release the web by pressing the button again, this only caused more webs to shoot out and stick to surfaces around the room. “Shitshitshit!” 

He attempted to tear himself free of the webs, however when he touched them his left hand became stuck to the web. In his panic he started blasting webs out of his left hand which ended up sticking him to the floor.

As he laid on the floor wrapped up in his web cocoon, Ren thought back to what Naoto had said earlier, that he was the city’s new protector, their new Spider-Man.

“Oh yeah, I can totally handle this new gig no problem.” (Ren ended up not being able to escape that night and just fell asleep like that.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This officially concludes the Kamoshida arc. I'm also thinking of adding more bonus chapters like the one at the end, they'll be pretty short and probably won't have any impact on the story, but I think they inject a little more humor and character into the series. Let me know if that sounds like something you'd want to see.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's been a while since I've updated. But now I should be able to upload on a semi-frequent basis for this next arc. Hope you enjoy.

[27]

It was an early morning at the bank, but that didn’t stop the lines from being as long as ever, Sadayo Kawakami was incredibly annoyed. She tapped her foot anxiously glanced at her watch as she stood at the back of the line waiting to deposit her check from her other job. She only had 30 minutes before school started and she couldn’t be late again unless she wanted to get chewed out by Ms. Chouno again. ‘What right does that woman have to tell me how to do my job? I’ve been teaching for 3 more years than her.’ Kawakami shuddered at remembering how old she was getting.

Just when the line finally started to move, the loud sound of boots slamming against the marble floor echoed throughout the bank. 3 men in ski masks with guns strode into the center of the floor and one fired his shotgun into the air.

“Everybody down on the ground with your hands in front of you!”

Kawakami complied immediately, laying on the ground. Her heart was racing as the robbers stepped near her and grabbed her bag off of the ground. She was tempted to reach for it, to just try to keep something, but she thought better of it. It seemed like she couldn’t hold onto anything these days, not even the little amount of cash she didn’t have to give to Takase’s guardians. Maybe the universe just wants her to suffer, that’s what it seemed like to her at least.

“Hey where the fuck did Kazuya go?” Asked the voice of one of the masked men.

Kawakami looked up at that. One of the robbers was missing?

“Y’know guys, this kind of crime seems a little outdated. I’d be shocked if you guys actually came out of this with more than a couple thousand. Have you tried online banking?” A figure lowered himself from the ceiling. Gazing a little bit higher, Kawakami noticed one of the robbers tied up in webs with his mouth gagged hanging from the ceiling.

The figure landed on the ground and Kawakami took in his appearance. Dressed like a hoodlum in a damaged black sweatshirt and green sweatpants as well as dirty red shoes, the only thing that was noteworthy of his appearance were the red mask and gloves he wore. Clearly whoever this person was, they were trying to be Spider-Man on a budget.

“The fuck are you supposed to be? Spider-Man’s dead kid.” One of the robbers taunted, this one had Kawakami’s bag in one hand.

“The rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated.” The vigilante replied.

“Not for long!”

The two remaining robbers opened fire on him and Kawakami gasped. This vigilante, however, managed to avoid the gunshots by twisting through the air and kicking one of the armed assailants across the floor before webbing the other’s weapon to the floor and his hands to his chest. The one kicked earlier stood up and took aim once again before his forearm was hit by a web.

“Aww man, I was aiming for your gun!” Called the new Spider-Man. He pulled on the web and the robber was thrown toward the young man before being clocked in the face and knocked unconscious.

With all of the robbers restrained now, no one on the ground moved, only the hum of the lights and the muffled screams of the restrained robbers sounded through the room.

“Uhh, you guys are good to stand up now. I should uh, probably get going before the police arrive.” The masked vigilante awkwardly began to walk towards the door.

The tension in the air faded somewhat as the civilians began to rise and murmur to one another. The hero came to and turned around, running back over to the corner where the last robber had been standing. He picked up Kawakami’s bag off of the ground and for a moment she was afraid he was going to leave with it. However, he walked over to Kawakami and handed her back her bag.

“I believe this is yours ma’am.” He said to her before running out the front door and swinging off.

“T-thanks.” Kawakami said softly to the figure’s retreating silhouette as he disappeared from sight. Maybe the universe didn’t hate her as much as she thought.

When the school day started later that morning, Ren’s homeroom was in chaos. Students were talking loudly amongst one another, sitting on desks, and throwing things across the classroom. Ren honestly wasn’t sure how he was the one the school was keeping an eye on when right now he was the only one doing what was expected of a good student.

Ann turned to him from the seat in front of him with her phone out. “Did you see what’s blowing up all over social media this morning?”

“Uh, no I was busy this morning.”

“Clearly.” Ann showed Ren what was on her screen. A blurry image of him in costume swinging through the streets and a much clearer image of the burglar from the bank hanging from the ceiling in his webbing.

“Holy shit that was fast! It hasn’t even been an hour!”

Ann leaned towards Ren and lowered her voice. “What was it like? Stopping those robbers, I mean.”

Ren whispered back to her. “It was crazy, my heart was beating like crazy and they tried to shoot me and it was just, just crazy, all of it.” He couldn’t hide his excitement over getting to tell what being a superhero was like.

“They shot at you?! Are you okay?” Ann unintentionally raised her voice in concern.

“Shh!” Ren tried to calm Ann down. “Yeah, they didn’t hit me or anything, so yeah I’m fine.”

Ann didn’t seem to take comfort in that, but before she could say anything, Ms. Kawakami entered the room.

“Hello class, I apologize for my tardiness.” She set her bag on her desk and began the lesson. “Now if you would all pull out your homework from last night, Mishima please go around the class and collect them.”

“Yes ma’am!” Mishima stood up and began taking everyone’s homework off of their desks, Ren wasn’t sure why, but he seemed different today, more upbeat and excitable. He was glad to see the younger boy in a better mood, he’d had it rough on Kamoshida’s volleyball team and if Ren recalled correctly, Kamoshida was specifically out to get him during the attack.

When class eventually concluded, Mishima came up to Ren and Ann as they were collecting their things. “Did you guys see!? There’s a new Spider-Man! He stopped a bank robbery this morning!”

“Oh? Sounds like a badass.” Ren turned to Ann and smirked.

“Sounds like he’s an idiot who wants attention.” Ann said back aggressively.

The two began bickering and Mishima, seeing the awkward situation he created, stepped back and left unnoticed. 

When the school day came to a close and day turned to night, Ren found himself in Dr. Takemi’s clinic with his clothes off once again. 

“Oh Doc, wait, stop, I’m not ready! O-oh my god!”

“Oh quit your whining, it’s already in. You’d think you’d be used to it now, this our fourth time already.”

“Yeah I know, it feels like you’re sucking me dry! Pretty soon I’m not gonna have any left!”

“People get their blood taken all the time, it's not nearly as big a deal as you make it out to be.”

When Ren was brought into her clinic after the battle with Electro, he had to make a deal with the doctor. In exchange for keeping his secret, Ren had to come in for a checkup twice a week and let her study his ‘unique physiology’ (No that is not an innuendo.)

“I think you’ve got enough of it Doc. Pretty soon you’ll have more of my blood than I do!”

“Your biology is still changing so it’s important that I take samples on a regular basis.” The punk rock doctor held up the, now full, syringe and placed it on the table next to her. “Just think, there are secrets hidden in your DNA that can change the world and save millions of lives!” She placed a cotton ball over the site the needle pierced.

Ren was surprised to see the passion that the woman held for her job, Ren would have pegged her as being laid back in her work. But it seemed to him that there was much more to this woman than met the eye and she saw him as the key to curing countless illnesses. The problem with being seen as a key though, is that you get treated as an object. This doctor’s bedside manner was horrible and she made no attempts to ease Ren’s pain.

“That’s great Doc, but I like to take a bit more of a proactive role in saving lives.” Ren pulled his shirt back on as he prepared to leave for the day. He was exhausted and felt ready to pass out.

Takemi sighed and rolled her eyes. “You’re gonna get killed out there if you keep this up.” When she looked at Ren, he thought he saw a flash of genuine concern for his safety.

“And how many others will die if I don’t? This city needs a Spider-Man and it looks like I’m all they’ve got.” As Ren stepped out the door of the clinic, he checked his phone. There was a new message from Detective Shirogane. 

“Need to talk to you. New case, calls for your ‘talents.’”

[28]

“Look I don’t have the money ready yet, there have been some problems with shipping the product overseas… No! No! Of course I’m telling the truth! It takes a lot of effort to move such a high amount under the radar… Look I’m afraid I just can’t get you the money at this time! Hello? Hello?! Oh god.”

Kunikazu Okumura stood in his large luxurious living room in the middle of the night talking over the phone with an important ‘investor.’ When the man on the other end hung up suddenly, Okumura knew that there would be trouble. One doesn’t piss off this man without paying a price.

He stared out of his large window overlooking the city and contemplated his next move. Surely there had to be something he could do to make amends. However, in his contemplation, Okumura failed to notice the large flying object outside until it was too late.

The wall sized window exploded inwards as a figure with enormous wings smashed through the glass and grabbed the man in one of its giant birdlike talons. With its target retrieved, the invader flew even higher into the air carrying the screaming passenger. When they reached a high enough altitude, the flying figure came to a hover and turned its head towards Okumura, its face couldn’t be seen behind the pilot helmet it wore. As its head blocked out the moon from view the only other source of light being its two glowing eyes under the dark lenses.

“Kingpin wants what you owe him.” A distorted robotic voice sounded over the howling winds and whirring blades of the wings.

“I-I told him I can’t pay right now! I simply don’t have it!” Okumura shouted to make his voice heard over the surrounding sounds.

The masked invader didn’t appreciate this answer and without saying a word, released its victim from its talons. Okumura plummeted, screaming as he plummeted to the city below. Before he could fall too far, his leg was grabbed by a metallic talon and he came to a stop. Okumura’s glasses slipped from his face and continued the fall to the streets below.

“If you do not agree to make the payment tonight, I will not attempt to catch you a second time.” The voice of his kidnapper shook Okumura to his core.

“OKAY! OKAY! I’LL FIND A WAY! I’LL PAY HIM I SWEAR! I’LL PAY HIM BY TONIGHT!” When Okumura finally conceded to their demands, the bird thing flew him back to his home and tossed him through the shattered window.

“You have 5 hours.” Its glowing green eyes stared directly at him before it flew off into the night without another word.

Unknown to Kunikazu Okumura, his daughter, Haru, had seen her father be carried back in by the masked intruder. “Father!” She ran up to her father, lying on the floor with shards of glass in his face. “What happened? Are you alright?”

Her father managed to stand up with her help. “I’m fine Haru.” He brushed off the glass on his suit. “Now go to bed. I have some calls to make.”

“Father you can’t be serious! We need to call the police! There was an intruder in our home, he hurt you!”

“FORGET WHAT YOU SAW! IT DOESN’T CONCERN YOU!”

“But Father-”

“GO TO BED HARU!”

Haru was shocked at her father’s reaction. Never before had he raised his voice like this, he was like a different person. Kunikazu Okumura was once a kind and gentle man, but when he started his company and began making more money, his greed corrupted him. But right now, the man she once knew was completely gone. With tears in her eyes, she ran to her room and slammed the door shut.

Kunikazu let out a sigh. He didn’t enjoy speaking to his daughter like that, but it was necessary to keep her safe. He picked up his phone off the ground and began making calls, it didn’t matter if he had to drain his offshore accounts or take out short term loans, he needed the money by tonight.

The next morning, Naoto Shirogane walked through the incredibly busy police station with her coffee in hand. Things had been this way ever since Spider-Man’s death, and all of the work was starting to get to her. She’d been up late the night before, she was still piecing together who was behind the Shibuya attack, who had the amount of power and resources to free Adachi from his maximum security cell and plant high power explosives all across the city? More importantly, who had the motive? What were their end goals? These thoughts and more kept running through the Detective Queen’s mind when she saw a young girl with short fluffy brown hair speaking with the officer at the front desk.

Normally, Naoto wouldn’t take much notice of this girl. People came in to report crimes all the time after all. However, the desperation and fear on this girl’s face made Naoto take notice, especially when she thought she heard the word ‘bird-man’ come from the girl’s mouth.

The officer at the desk had a skeptical look on his face. When Naoto listened closer she heard what the man responded with.

“Young lady, do you know how many reports we get daily regarding weird shit like you’ve described? We’re stretched thin as it is. If you want us to do something about this we’re gonna need evidence, do you have any photos of this alleged bird-man?”

“N-no, but he smashed through our living room window! If you come and see I can show you!”

“You said your name was Haru Okumura right? Daughter of Kunikazu Okumura?” The officer at the front desk typed on his computer. “We got a report last night from your father, apparently high winds that night caused the glass to shatter. He said you came down from your room a bit after that, you were probably just asleep and heard the noise and imagined the worst.” The officer was very dismissive to the young girl’s plea. “Now why don’t you hurry on to school, you’re probably running late.”

The girl, Haru, tried to speak more, assuring the officer that she knew what she saw. The man at the desk however, was already on the phone and ignoring her. Haru left the station furious and Naoto followed after her subtly.

When they were a good distance away from the station, Naoto approached the girl from behind, tapping her shoulder. She turned, frightened, but ready to defend herself.

“Sorry about frightening you. I’m Detective Naoto Shirogane, I heard what you were saying earlier in the station and I wanted to ask you more about it.”

“R-really?! You’ll listen?” Haru wiped tears from her eyes. It must’ve been incredibly frustrating for her to be ignored like that.

“I will, please tell me more about this ‘bird-man.’ Did you get a good look at him? Describe his appearance.”

“W-well, I only saw him briefly.” Haru looked bashful. “But what I saw, it terrified me. His eyes were two glowing green dots hidden under a helmet. He had wings, but they looked mechanical, I think they had propellers in them? The only other thing I saw were his legs, they were like a bird’s, only metallic and big enough to grab a person.” Haru looked scared, remembering something she would rather not. “That’s all I know. Please tell me you believe me! I think my father is in danger!”

Naoto gave the girl a comforting smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I believe you, and don’t worry, I’m going to make sure that both you and your father are safe and that this ‘bird-man’ is brought to justice.”

The young girl gave her an enormous hug in response. “Thank you so much!”

Naoto awkwardly looked around with a blush on her face, embarrassed at the interaction with a complete stranger. She patted the young girl on the back. “Y-you’re uh, you’re welcome.” She coughed and Haru ended the embrace. “Now hurry up and get to school. I’m sure you’ve got exams and whatnot.”

The girl gave her a huge smile and went on her way to catch the nearest train. When the high schooler disappeared from sight, Naoto began doing what she usually did, analyzing. The man that Haru had described was one that Naoto was familiar with. She didn’t know his identity, however Yu had had an encounter with him some years ago, he called him the Vulture. Their battle had been brief and ended with the Vulture evading capture and going underground. She hadn’t heard about him since, but now it seemed that with Spider-Man off the board, old threats were coming out of the shadows.

As Naoto went on her phone, she saw that she had received several texts with links attached. Upon opening one of the links, she was brought to a social media page with a couple of blurry images and most notably, the headline read, “Bank robbery thwarted. Is there a new Spider-Man???”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry that it took so long to put out a new chapter. I've been a bit busy with work and planning out the series going forward. I've got a much better idea of how the series will advance going forward and I hope you all enjoy what I've got coming. I'm still open to all criticism and want to know your guys' feedback. But yeah that's it, I hope you guys like my choice for the next arc 'The Vulture.'


	15. Chapter 15

[29]

Ren Amamiya sat atop the edge of a building hundreds of feet off the ground playing a game on his phone. He was in his homemade Spider-Man suit with the mask pulled up and the red gloves in his pocket.

A few days ago, Naoto had contacted him about a new case she was working on. Apparently some guy in a bird costume was breaking into rich peoples’ houses over the past few weeks but the cases were being dismissed by the police due to nothing being stolen and no one going missing or reporting the attacks. The detective had studied the various break-ins and established a pattern and that’s where Ren came in.

For the past 3 days, Ren had spent each night up on this rooftop overlooking the home of a rich art mogul named Ichirysu Madarame. He had a walkie-talkie with him so that Naoto could check in with him regularly. He was doing this because according to Naoto, Madarame was a highly likely target of this bird guy who she called the Vulture.

So here he sat on his first ever stakeout, just like the movies! Unfortunately, movies were incredibly misleading about how exciting stakeouts were. The first night, he’d been really excited and stood watch vigilantly for several hours. However after a while he got bored and just started goofing around until the sun rose, school was hell that day. The second night went about the same with absolutely nothing happening, this time, Ren had the sense to bring some homework to do while he was up there. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize how strong the winds would be that night and his papers got blown away. Now on his third night, he just decided to kill time on his phone and luckily, he got amazing reception up this high.

Naoto Shirogane sat in her car doing work on her laptop, she was watching the same building as Ren but from ground level. As a seasoned detective, she had plenty of experience with long stakeouts and was fully capable of monitoring the situation while completing other tasks. She checked the time, then grabbed her radio and contacted her unofficial partner.

“Hourly check-in, how do things look up there?”

“Still the same as the last 30 check-ins. Hey did you know that the Shido Sciences building has 6,200 windows? Over.”

“We’ve been over this already, you don’t need to end every sentence with over.”

“Copy that. Over.”

She rolled her eyes at his attempts at humor, this boy was too much like his predecessor. As she went back to work on her laptop, an alert popped up on both it and her phone. At Naoto’s behest, Rise and Yu installed an advanced security system in their apartment. This system would send alerts directly to all of theirs and Naoto’s devices whenever a large object got within a specific range. The alert she got on her phone was from said system which pulled up a live video feed from the apartment, showing that it had just had its glass ceiling smashed in by a shadowy figure with wings.

“Shit!” She picked up her radio. “Ren! We’ve got a problem! Get to Shibuya ASAP! Rise Narukami’s apartment!”

“Got it!” Came the voice on the other end. Ren made no attempts at humor when he heard Naoto’s tone.

Unbeknownst to the Detective Queen, a skinny young man with long blue hair on his way home overheard what Naoto had said before she started her car and drove off.

“What was that about? I wonder.” The young man asked himself.

Ren swung through the city as fast as he could, trying desperately to get to Shibuya. He still wasn’t great at web swinging and had to look where he was aiming each time, this was nowhere near as easy as the last Spider-Man made it look.

As the building he was heading towards slowly came into view, Ren didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Naoto hadn’t specified what was happening, but it sounded important so he left as soon as she said it. 

Over the sounds of the howling winds as he swung, his enhanced ears barely picked up the sound of the walkie-talkie clipped to his pants. “I’ve alerted the police, they’re sending a chopper over immediately.”

Ren was too preoccupied with swinging to give a response, but he was sure Naoto knew that. He was only a few blocks from Rise Narukami’s apartment now and as he landed on top of a nearby building, he saw the silhouette of a large pair of wings carrying a large rectangular object.

He didn’t need to be a detective to figure out what was going on. The Vulture had broken into Rise’s apartment and stolen something important, it was up to Spider-Man to stop him. Ren chased after the figure as he flew off into the city.

Suddenly a spotlight illuminated the figure and Ren could make out their details. The flying figure was definitely human, its wings and the legs carrying what was clearly a safe were mechanical. The pilot of this suit was wearing a pilot’s helmet and a large aviator jacket and pants.

The spotlight was accompanied by the sound of whirring propellers as a police helicopter entered the chase and loudly announced their presence.

“This is the Tokyo Police. Land your uhh vehicle now or we will use lethal force.” A booming voice sounded over a loud megaphone.

The Vulture, seeing that he’d been spotted, shot out a large metal ‘feather’ from its wings, which collided with the helicopter’s blades and sent it spinning out of control. Ren looked over to the Vulture, who proceeded to fly off with his cargo. He looked back to the helicopter which would soon come crashing down to the streets below.

Ren made his decision without hesitation and dove after the helicopter. Landing on a slightly lower rooftop, he shot out two web lines to the building across from him, directly in the helicopter’s path. The falling vehicle was caught between the web lines and slowly brought to a halt, its propeller slowing to a stop as well, Ren began to slide across the rooftop as he desperately held on to his end of the line. With a great amount of effort, he grabbed the two lines in his fist and used his other hand to stick them down to the ground beneath him. The helicopter now sat with its cockpit resting on one line and its tail on the other.

The new Spider-Man lifted his mask and wiped the sweat from his brow, letting out a relieved breath in the process. By now, a crowd had gathered on the streets below in awe of the events transpiring. He placed the mask back over his face and began making his way over to save the officers in the hanging helicopter. However, before he could do anything else, the middle of its tail began to cave in under the weight until it snapped and both ends were sent falling

Ren jumped and desperately shot out a web onto the cockpit and grabbed onto the edge of the roof with his hand. The tail end of the helicopter fell into the streets below and loudly crashed.

“Ohmygodthisissoheavy!” He said to no one in particular.

The bricks Ren held onto were starting to collapse under the strain. As they broke apart, he tried using his wall clinging ability to grasp onto the wall, however this only succeeded in tearing the skin off of his palm and fingertips. In one last act of desperation, he slammed the button on his webshooter as many times as possible. Over a dozen webs shot from his wrist and attached themselves to the side of the building. Ren felt his right arm, holding the helicopter, dislocate from his shoulder as the line was pulled taut.

“AGH!!” He cried out in pain, but didn’t let go. Looking down, he saw that the helicopter was only 3 stories from the ground, not quite low enough to safely release it yet. If he could just lower himself a little more, he could get the officers out safely. Realizing what he had to do, Ren braced himself for the incoming pain. 

He separated the dozen lines holding him to the building and just as he began to fall again, he repeated his rapid firing, lower this time and he and the helicopter came to a stop once again. Ren’s already dislocated arm flared in pain as it was yanked even further, tears of pain were beginning to cloud Ren’s eyesight. This time the helicopter stopped mere feet from the ground and the injured officers began to slide out of the vehicle into the crowds’ waiting arms one at a time.

When everyone was out and the crowd backed away from the cockpit, Ren was finally able to release it to the ground, much to his relief. He released himself from the wall and used his one good arm to get himself down. The crowd from before, surrounded him and the flashes of hundreds of phones blinded Ren.

“Yeah! Way to go new Spider-Man!”

“Is that seriously his costume?”

“The old Spider-Man would’ve saved the whole helicopter easily and caught the bad guy.”

That last comment in particular stung hard. He was already being compared to his predecessor? Ren didn’t know what to say, so without a word, he shot out a web and swung off into the night.


	16. Chapter 16

[30]

“Who is this new Spider-Man? He’s a criminal, that’s who he is! A vigilante! A menace!” Toranosuke Yoshida sat at his desk reading this morning’s article and smoking a large cigar. “Things were finally getting back to normal with the last one gone and just like that!” He snapped his fingers, “Another one! There’s an infestation!”

Yoshida’s top reporter, Ichiko Ohya, stood impatiently in front of her boss’s desk waving away the smoke that had floated towards her face. “Well, menace or not, the article is blowing up online. People are excited by the news and finally feeling hopeful again.”

“Hopeful?! They should be outraged! Spider-Man shows up, and on the same night a helicopter crashes from the sky? He obviously caused it for the publicity! Why am I the only one around here who isn’t an idiot?!”

Ohya rolled her eyes at her boss’s yelling, he’d always been like this, even before the original Spider-Man first appeared. She walked out of his office without him even noticing, he was so busy rambling on. She knew that he could keep going on for another 15 minutes and she didn’t want to be there for that.

It had been a few weeks now since their original office building collapsed in the Shibuya attack. Ohya thought back to that day as she moved through their temporary office. It was terrifying, she’d been trapped in the building as it was coming down, many others had too. She would have died if not for the actions of one young man, he’d done the seemingly impossible and lifted a block of concrete out of the way of the door and gotten everyone out safely.

She hadn’t seen that young man since, but she had a feeling he was alive. In fact, Ohya had a theory as to who that boy could be. If only she had learned his name, all she had to go on right now was the school uniform he wore. But if she could get to the bottom of this, it’d be the story of the century. For now however, she was going to be joining her partner, Kayo Murakami, in investigating the flying man from last night.

Elsewhere in the city, Rise Narukami marched into the police precinct. “Where is she?! Where’s Naoto?!” The officer at the front desk, who was well aware of the woman’s relationship with the detective, pointed her in the direction of Naoto’s office. Without a word, the national celebrity burst through Naoto’s door and slammed it behind her.

“Rise? I thought you were out of town? Is this about your apartment? We’re already on the case-”

“I don’t give a shit about the apartment Naoto! Explain this!” She held up her phone displaying this morning’s news with pictures of Spider-Man saving the officers last night.

“Rise-”

“I know you’re helping him, you’re the only one who has access to Yu’s webshooters and you gave them to him! Are you crazy?! That boy has no idea what he’s getting into! He’s going to get himself killed!”

Naoto lowered her voice before responding. “I’m teaching him so that he doesn’t get himself killed.”

“How can you be serious about this, Yu’s… He’s dead because this job, i-it’s inhuman! It’s too dangerous for anyone! Yu did it for 8 years and I watched it destroy him. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, much less some innocent kid!” Rise turned to Naoto angrily. “He is just a kid isn’t he?”

“He’s 17! He’s older than Yu was when he first started!”

“Unbelievable, you-”

“No!” Naoto stood up, slamming her hands on her desk, “You don’t get to judge me! You don’t know what it’s like, out there on the streets! People are dying! The police are stretched too thin! We need his help! I’m sorry if it offends you that he’s out there using your dead husband’s identity, but he’s saving lives Rise! So you can go ahead and judge me from your ivory tower, but I’m not going to stop and neither is he! He made the choice, he understands and he’s still out there risking his life! What have you been doing?!”

Rise was speechless, her mouth was agape and her eyes showed pain and anger and sadness all at once. Without saying anything, she ran out of the room and the station. The other officers watched the woman leave, then turned to the detective in her office.

“Shut the door.” She said in a surprisingly calm tone that frightened them into complying. She didn’t need to worry about the other officers overhearing, she had soundproofed the room on her first day here. Naoto collapsed into her chair and placed her head into her arms. Why had she said that? She had hurt her best friend and made a mockery of her grief. Was that really how she felt? The Detective Queen didn’t know the answer. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on feelings, so instead she did what she always did. Immerse herself in her work. She picked up her phone off of the desk and called the kid.

“Hello?” Came the voice on the other end, his breathing was heavy for some reason.

“Hey it’s me. I’ve been looking over the charts trying to figure out where I went wrong with the pattern.”

“Any luck so faAAHHH!” Ren cried out in pain.

“What’s happening?!” Naoto raised her voice in concern.

There was a moment where he didn’t respond, it sounded like he was talking to someone else with him.

“I’m at the clinic having my arm relocatED!” His voice raised again in pain.

“Oh.” Naoto paused for a moment. “Well like I said, I’ve been reviewing the targets and I can’t find where I went wrong. I’m going to review the cases further, I’ll get back to you when I have something worthwhile.”

“Yeah, I’m fine thanks for asking.” Ren responded while catching his breath.

“We’ll talk soon.” She hung up without another word and planted her face directly on the desk. 

“This fucking job.”

Meanwhile, in the Madarame estate, Ichirysu Madarame wheeled himself through the halls of his home. Each room he passed belonged to one of his proteges, and inside each was a young student hard at work on their next art piece. He loved his students and wanted to see each of them succeed in their field.

As he reached the end of the hall, he came to a stop at his prized pupil’s door. He knocked twice before letting himself in. Upon entering the room he saw his pupil, Yusuke Kitagawa concentrating on not a painting, but rather a large piece of cloth. He sat hunched over a sewing machine, pausing every few seconds whenever he’d prick himself. He was muttering to himself as he worked.

“Hmm yes... A mournful black... Highlighted by the red of rebirth! Brilliant!”

“Yusuke! I’m pleased to see that you seem to have finally gotten over your artist’s block! However I didn’t expect to find you sewing, of all things.”

“Ah, Sensei!” Yusuke jumped in surprise. “I didn’t hear you come in. Yes, I was suddenly struck by inspiration last night. I’m working on what is sure to be my next masterpiece. All of Tokyo will see it!”

“It sounds amazing Yusuke. Mind if I take a peek?” Before Madarame could roll over to his student’s side, his phone rang, the number was listed as unknown. “Excuse me for a moment.” He apologized before going back out into the hall.

“Hello?”

“That was a sloppy job last night Madarame. They caught you on camera.” Came the voice on the other end. It was Madarame’s superior. Known throughout the criminal underworld as Kingpin, Madarame knew him as Kobayakawa.

Sweat began running down Madarame’s forehead “It was only briefly, the payload was slowing me down. I swear it won’t happen again.” He reassured the man on the other end.

“You’ve done good work for us over the years Madarame. I’d hate to think that old age is slowing you down.”

“Not at all sir.” 

“Well either way, you still completed the mission. If this package is what we think it is, then the boss will be very pleased. Item 17A is currently being extracted from its container as we speak.”

Madarame still didn’t know who ‘the boss’ was, it was a closely guarded secret that few were privy to. It was possible that even Kobayakawa himself didn’t know who he was.

The voice on the phone continued. “Your payment has been transferred, we’ll contact you for the next job.” With that, the Kingpin hung up and Madarame let out a sigh of relief before putting away his phone.

He looked down at his legs, or rather the stumps that remained of them. Madarame had lost them 14 years ago in a car crash with a drunk driver. That same crash had resulted in the death of his passenger, Natsuhiko Kitagawa, Yusuke’s mother. She had been an amazing artist who Madarame had supported financially, upon her passing, Madarame had taken her son in and given him a home.

The crash had ruined him financially, his hospital bills while recovering had depleted his funds immensely and his injuries left him incapable of painting anymore masterpieces. Now at 57 years old, Madarame makes his large estate a home to dozens of aspiring artists including his surrogate son. The reason he was able to afford this now is because of his ‘other job’, he didn’t enjoy it, but it paid well and allowed him to continue contributing to the art world.

Madarame had first become a criminal after he was approached in the hospital by a representative of Kobayakawa who had offered him a way to make his fortune back. At first, he’d refused, but when time passed and Madarame realized his painting days were over, he accepted the offer and began his work. Initially he had only been a means to launder money, but his work eventually became more involved a few years ago when they recruited a man known as The Tinkerer. He had built Madarame a new pair of legs as well as mechanical wings which he could expertly pilot to commit his crimes. The first thing he’d done with those wings was track down and kill the driver who had caused the crash that had ruined his life, that had been the one time he had taken pleasure in his work.

As he rolled back towards his own room, Madarame thought about how far he had come. After so many years of work, he was close now. Only a few more jobs and he would have enough money to pay off his debts and focus entirely on his students. He had to get out of this business as soon as he could, last night had made that very apparent. And if anyone got in the way of his goal, God help them.


	17. Chapter 17

[31]

The final bell rang dismissing Ren’s class for the day. Ann told him goodbye as she left to go visit Shiho in the hospital. When he finished grabbing his books from his locker he shut it to reveal Ryuji standing behind it. Ren jumped in surprise, what the hell was the point in a spider sense if not this?!

“Yo, we still trainin’ today?” Ryuji asked his best friend.

“Yeah, it looks like no Spider-Man business today. I’m still waiting to hear back on a case.” Ren spoke in a hushed tone.

“Oh shit, that’s right! I forgot you’re working with the police now!”

“Shhh!” Ren looked around, luckily no one seemed to be paying attention to them. “Geez, you’re incorrigible.”

Ryuji looked apologetic, “Sorry dude, my bad.”

Later, outside in the school yard, the two boys had just finished their last lap around the school. Ryuji was soaked in sweat and breathing heavily, meanwhile Ren showed no apparent signs of fatigue and watched his friend collapse onto the grass.

“What the *huff* eff dude *huff* are you even sweating?!” Ryuji managed to pant out.

“Umm, no not really. You want some water or something?”

“So *huff* unfair dude.”

“Hey, I didn’t ask for this. And if I recall correctly, you were too scared to pick up a spider.”

Ryuji covered his face with his hands. “Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Suddenly his face lit up and he turned to Ren excitedly. “Dude! What if we went back there and got me a spider too!? We could be co-Spider-Men!”

Ren scratched the back of his head. “I don’t think that’s the best idea man. For a number of reasons. Chief among them being that we would have to break into a corporate science lab and steal important experiments.”

Ryuji sighed and laid back down, “Aww that suuucks! Wait, dude what if you bit me?”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Aw dude not like that!” Ryuji was red-faced with embarrassment. “Not like in a sexual way! Dammit dude, now that’s all I can see it as!”

“HEY!” A voice interrupted their conversation, the boys turned to the sound and saw a group of boys in track uniforms approaching them.

“What’re you doing here Sakamato? Trying to join back up with the track team?”

“What? No we’re just-”

“You got a lotta nerve coming to our practice spot after the shit you pulled with Kamoshida.”

“Y’know what? We’re leavin’ alright? C’mon dude, let’s go grab a beef bowl.” The pair began to walk away when one of the boys shouted.

“You think you can just walk away!?”

A second later, Ren’s spider sense kicked in and, without looking, he caught a rock that had been thrown at the back of Ryuji’s head. The blonde turned around, startled to see what had nearly smacked hard against his skull. The boys from the track team had their eyes wide and a few mouths were agape. “What the hell?” Could be heard from the boys.

“Don’t come near my friend again. Got that?” Without waiting for a response he walked away, Ryuji following soon after.

Later once again, the two boys sat in the back corner of the busy beef bowl shop joined by their first year friend. The ambient noise making it safe to speak in private.

“Thanks for inviting me out with you guys. Lady Ann hasn’t been answering my texts today.” Morgana said to them.

“Ain’t that normal though?”

“Shut up! Stupid blonde monkey. I take back my thanks.”

Finally Ren spoke up, “It seemed like it was time we discuss the elephant in the room. Morgana, you haven’t told anyone about me yet, right?” Ren knew Ann and Ryuji well enough to know his secret was safe with them, but Morgana was the outlier. Ren only knew him because of his obsession with Ann.

“Of course not! Lady Ann made me swear an oath to her that I wouldn’t tell and I am a man of my word.”

“That’s good to hear. Needless to say, things could get really bad if my identity was let out. In my ‘line of business’ if people knew who I was, they would hurt the people close to me.”

Morgana seemed a little overwhelmed with the amount of trust that was being put into him. Ryuji broke the newly formed tension by chiming in.

“So dude, what was that thing you were fighting the other night? It caused a helicopter to crash right?”

“I can’t say it was really a fight. I didn’t get anywhere near the guy so he got away with whatever he stole.”

“For real? Then shouldn’t you be out there tryin’ to find the guy?”

“It isn’t really that simple Ryuji. This guy doesn’t strike every night, rather he has targets that he seeks out. My ally on the force is working on tracking him down now so there’s not much I can do. Plus, I’m still recovering from my injuries from that night.” Ren rolled his right shoulder with a pained expression.

“Oh right. Sorry ‘bout that. It’s gotta be rough, all the fights and stuff.”

“I heal fast so its manageable. Still hurts just as much though.” Ren finished his bowl off and stood up. “Welp, its probably time I get going. Gotta finish my homework early if I’m gonna patrol tonight.”

“Yeah I should get goin’ too. Got a long night of procrastinating ahead. See ya Mona.” The older boys left the restaurant and as Morgana began standing up to leave, one of the employees approached him.

“Here’s the bill for what you and your friends ate.” She handed the blue haired boy said bill.

“Son of a-”

Finally, later that night, Ren entered the bathhouse in Yongen. It had been a long night of nothing, no car chases, no robberies, and no giant vultures. He had swung through the city all night and hadn’t heard any police sirens and Naoto wasn’t even answering his messages. Normally, it would be great that there’s no crimes to stop, however Ren really needed a win right now.

“God, is there really nothing I can do?” He asked himself as he stepped into the very steamy bath dressed in just a towel.

“Well I don’t know about nothing. Think you could you help me get my back?” A feminine voice asked him from inside the bath.

“What the?!” The public bath in Yongen wasn’t very popular, especially at this time of night. So Ren was used to being alone when he came in to bathe. As the steam cleared a bit, Ren was able to make out short blue hair followed by brown eyes and red lips. It was unmistakably the face of Dr. Tae Takemi, who he’d gotten to know very up close recently. 

Ren stood up to leave. “O-oh Dr. T-Takemi! I’m so sorry, I’ll just come back late-”

“Sit down Ren. I’ve seen your body plenty of times.” The doctor didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed about her compromising position. Ren complied with her demand. “And might I add, its quite a nice one too. Nicest I’ve seen on a patient.”

“Umm th-thanks. Y-your’s is nice too.” Ren regretted saying that and suddenly averted his gaze from hers.

Takemi didn’t seem bothered by it at all. “Thank you. Y’know speaking of bodies, let me take a look and see how you’re healing up.”

“Oh that isn’t necessary I’m doing fiiii-” The boy wasn’t able to finish his sentence as the doctor was already grabbing his arm to inspect it.

“You should listen to your doctor you know.” She said while poking at his muscles. “Are you experiencing any soreness or stiffness?”

Ren ignored the obvious joke he could’ve made. “Uh, only in the shoulder.”

“That’s to be expected, the dislocation was pretty bad. Turn around.” Ren complied and she began inspecting his back. He shivered as she traced her finger around his lower left side. “Interesting, looks like this scar tissue is here to stay.”

The scar she was referring to was one he got from his battle with Kamoshida. Towards the end, Ren had tried to escape to avoid the police and Kamoshida had blasted him in his back as he was climbing. That blast had left quite a large electrical burn where it hit and the skin hadn’t returned to its normal pigment.

“It looks like there are limits to what your body can heal.”

Ren noticed that even though the doctor had seemingly finished her examination, she was still touching him. Lightly caressing his back with her fingertips, Ren wouldn’t say it out loud, but it felt kind of nice.

“Uhh Doc? Everything alright back there?”

“O-oh right. I’m done… Sorry.” She returned to her side of the bath and as Ren turned around he thought he may have seen a blush on the woman’s face, but it may have just been the heat of the steam. As she made it back to her side, Takemi stepped out of the bath. “Well, that’s all for me. Be sure to come see me again if you’re hurt. And do try to be careful out there. Doctor’s orders.”

“Yes ma’am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back at it with a new chapter! I'm thinking I'm going to make more chapters like this one where the Spider-Man stuff takes a backseat to Ren's everyday life. Comment and let me know what you think and if I should make more chapters like this.


	18. Chapter 18

[32]

Investigative reporter, Ichiko Ohya was waiting for her partner, Kayo Murakami, at a street corner in Shinjuku. Apparently she’d gotten a big tip regarding the flying man recently and wanted to meet with Ohya in private, she had sounded afraid and said it wasn’t safe to speak on an open line. Ohya had been waiting at their usual spot for 15 minutes and still no sign of Kayo.

“Ugh, I need a drink. Where the hell-.”

Before she could complete her sentence something large dropped 2 feet in front of her at high speed before hitting the ground in a wet explosion. The reporter had to wipe the wetness from her eyes before she could see again. Upon wiping her eyes she inspected her hands and saw only dark red.

Her mouth agape, she looked over her arms and chest and only saw more red. Finally raising her gaze, she spotted the object that had splattered onto the ground. Its blood and organs pooling around it with bones jutting through the skin, it was a corpse, a human one. Ohya cried out in shock, the reality of the situation hitting her all at once. The corpse in front of her, while badly mangled, was in fact familiar. It was Kayo, she recognized the face of the corpse which had a look of shock permanently etched onto it.

Naoto Shirogane was investigating the scene of the crime in Shinjuku. A reporter had fallen from an immense height and was killed on impact, much to the horror of the bystanders. In all her time as a detective, Naoto had seen her fair share of gore, but the scene before her did make her stomach turn. Apparently, the victim was a reporter for a fairly popular news station in Tokyo and was investigating the Vulture case. That alone made it clear who was responsible for this horrible act.

When Naoto was investigating the body of Kayo Murakami, she noticed something strange. The pin in her hair, it was a recording device, she had thought of buying one for herself some time ago. Removing the pin off of the body to collect as evidence, she placed it in a plastic bag for further investigation.

“I will stop this monster. He won’t endanger any more lives.”

When she got back to her office late that night, she connected the device to her computer and pulled up the audio file. When the audio started playing, a loud, staticky noise sounded through the speakers, it was obvious that the device had been activated while Kayo was in the air. Over the loud sound of the wind around them a female voice could barely be heard.

“Who do you work for?!” The voice of Kayo shouted over the wind. No response. “WHY?! Why do this?!” No response. “You’re a monster! Do you enjoy this you sick freak?!” Only the howl of the wind was heard.

“Don’t struggle. You’ll only cause more pain.” A heavily modified voice spoke in a tone that sounded almost sad.

“What difference does it make?! I’m gonna die anyway!” Through her shouts, Naoto could tell, Kayo was holding back tears, her voice cracking somewhat.

“I’m sorry. I have to. You were getting too close.”

“Well if I’m gonna die anyway, mind telling me your name?!” Kayo’s voice held desperation, she knew she death was near and she wanted to find the truth, even if it killed her.

“... I’m sorry.” A metallic noise sounded and the only other noise that could be heard was Kayo’s screams as she presumably fell to her death. Naoto didn’t have the stomach to listen to the rest, pausing the audio and exiting from the window.

“My god.” Naoto shut her laptop and rested her head on her desk. This job was too much, there were some nights like this when she didn’t know why she chose this career. No, someone had to do this, someone had to stop these villains from doing as they please, she had to do this, for Kayo, for Rise... for Yu.

She looked over at the corkboard on her wall, the various profiles of the Vulture’s targets. It was time to review the case and figure out her next move. Until recently, all of his targets had been rich business owners with influence, then he broke his pattern by robbing Rise’s apartment, no doubt he was capitalizing on Yu’s death. Then, he was caught on camera, and now the public knows he exists, his next target was a reporter, one who was “getting too close.” How did he know? He must have informants, people deep undercover who knew when someone was asking too many questions. Now his top priority is keeping his identity secret, to do that, he needs to get rid of the people closest to figuring him out and fast, which means…

Naoto’s eyes lit up and she snatched her phone off of her desk and immediately scrolled through her contacts list. Stopping on the name she was looking for, she pressed the call button. The phone rang 5 times before it was finally picked up.

“Ugh, hello?” A groggy male voice replied on the other end.

“Amamiya, it’s Detective Shirogane.”

“Naoto?” She hated that he called her by her first name. “Whudduyawant? ‘Slike 3am.” He was clearly only half awake.

“I know who the Vulture’s next target is.”

“What?” He sounded much more alert. “Who?”

“Me.”


	19. Chapter 19

[33]

The next night Madarame soared high above the city, he knew his next target. The Detective Queen Naoto Shirogane was on to him and with her famous skills, it was only a matter of time before she pieced together his identity. The crimes he’d committed weighed heavily on his conscious, but soon it would all be over.

‘This is all for the sake of my students, for Yusuke.’ Madarame reassured himself as his target came into sight. He had been informed that Shirogane had been spotted leaving her home in a dark blue sedan, said car was currently driving on an otherwise empty highway late in the night. He couldn’t ask for a better chance to eliminate her.

Catching up to the vehicle quickly, he landed on its roof with a loud crunch as the metal caved beneath his weight. The sedan’s windows shattered loudly on impact and the driver cried out. His bionic talons easily shredded through the metal roof and clamped on tight. With his prey now in his grasp, his wings lifted both him and the damaged vehicle off of the ground.

“NOW!” Naoto shouted. The trunk of the car flew off of its hinges and legs donning a pair of red sneakers could be seen peaking out from the back of the car.

“What the!?”

“Whew, you have no idea how hot it was in there.” A jovial male voice was heard before its owner leaped from the trunk and shot two web lines at The Vulture’s wings. Donning his homemade costume, Ren Amamiya was ready for his foe this time.

“Damn you!” The Vulture released the car before attempting his escape. The sedan fell several feet before slamming onto the ground.

“Naoto!” Cried Ren as he was lifted off with the Vulture.

“I’m fine! Stay on him!” The detective’s voice was faint as Ren was carried off.

Reassured by the knowledge that his partner was safe, Ren pulled himself up his line to the Vulture’s body.

“Get off of me!” The winged criminal yelled in his distorted voice as the two entered the city. Seeing a chance to knock off his unwelcome passenger, Vulture began steering Spider-Man into the buildings as they flew.

Ren narrowly avoided smashing into the side of a building by spinning to his right and running on the building side. “Hey uh, would you mind flying a little higher? I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s a little dangerous down here!” He called to The Vulture as he tightly held onto his webs.

“Then let go!” Vulture flew straight at a billboard for teeth whitening before making a sharp left turn.

“No can do bud!” Ren’s back smacked directly into the billboard, putting a large hole in the smile on the picture before his web was pulled taut and he was yanked back into the pursuit. “You’ve run a-fowl of the law.” 

The Vulture didn’t respond to the pun.

“I’ve gotta put you beak-hind bars.”

Again no response.

“I could go on. I had a lot of time to come up with these in the trunk.”

“Please don’t.”

The Vulture approached a high rooftop and again tried to smack the vigilante into it, but this time, Ren was prepared. As he skidded across the rooftop, Ren dug his feet into the gravel beneath him and managed to get a foothold. Attaching his weblines to a solid surface, he began shooting out more webs onto the Vulture’s wings and legs.

“NO!”

With more than a dozen webs anchoring him to the roof, the winged criminal was unable to fly any further. Ren grabbed onto one of the taut weblines and quickly began to climb towards his prey. He had learned his lesson from the last time he tried catching aircraft, act fast and use a lot of webs.

“Give it up. You’re done.”

“NO! I’M! NOT!” The propellers in The Vulture’s wings whirred loudly as they further increased in speed. The webs began to individually snap under the immense pressure. A loud groan of metal could be heard coming from the wings.

“Shit! Nononono!” Ren held onto the web he’d been climbing. It was attached to one of Vulture’s talons and was his only remaining line to the villain.

Both men put all of their strength into pulling away from each other. Spider-Man’s muscle fought on equal ground to The Vulture’s engines. This tug of war continued until something finally caved, the metallic talon was torn from the harness that kept it in place. 

Free from his pursuer, the winged criminal took off into the night sky. Ren, meanwhile, was nearly dragged off of the rooftop by the heavy metal appendage. He pulled the talon up the side of the building until it reached the top. He heaved it over the railing with some effort and looked back into the sky only to see that his target had disappeared into the night.

Turning his attention to the device, he noticed something peculiar about it. The slot for the leg was nowhere near big enough to hold a human leg. Instead, the slot ended only a few inches in. Examining it further revealed wires connected to nodes meant to attach to skin.

Ren pulled out his phone and called Naoto. The detective picked up after a single ring.

“What happened?” She asked, her tone urgent.

Ren grimaced. “He got away.”

“Dammit!”

“But, I did manage to grab something. Sending you the pictures now.”

“...Is that…His leg?”

“Yeah, but it’s weird, it seems almost like a prosthetic.” Ren held the large talon in his arms.

“Oh my god.”

“What?” 

“I figured it out. I know who Vulture is.”

“Who!?”

“Bring the leg down to the station. I need to get a warrant.”

“Wait who is he!?” Ren yelled into the phone but got no response as the detective had already hung up. “Fantastic.” He said to himself as he stood alone on the rooftop.

“And just how the hell am I supposed to swing while carrying this thing!?”


	20. Chapter 20

[34]

Ichirysu Madarame quickly rolled his way through the halls of his home early in the morning, the tires of his wheelchair loudly squeaking as they strained under his speed. After last night, he had no doubt that the police would soon be onto him which meant it was time to vacate the premises and go underground. Before he could do that, he needed to collect the money that he kept on hand in the event his bank accounts were frozen.

It was a shame he would have to leave behind everything he’d built here, however he could still support his students from the shadows. He had been prepared for this kind of scenario and made sure that if need be, his program could still function without him.

There was a loud knocking on the front door downstairs and Madarame began to panic. ‘No! They can’t be here yet! I need more time!’ The old man thought to himself as he frantically searched through a drawer before pulling out a remote. ‘It’s still refueling, but I need it ASAP.’ He thought before pressing a button on it.

“Hello?” A voice sounded from downstairs as the door was opened. It was Yusuke who had answered the door. ‘No! You fool!’ Madarame thought as he exited his bedroom.

“Ichirysu Madarame!” The unmistakable voice of the Detective Queen called to him from downstairs. “We are here to bring you in under suspicion of criminal activities!”

“What is the meaning of this!?” Yusuke asked incredulously. “Sensei hasn’t committed any crime! He is an upstanding man!” He was pushed out of the way of the officers as they entered the home, hands to their holsters, prepared for whatever may come.

The police quickly searched the estate and found Madarame on the second floor, trying to use the elevator to escape to the roof. They pulled him out of his wheelchair and carried him back down to the ground floor where Detective Shirogane awaited him, her right arm in a sling from last night’s events. Madarame didn’t speak as he was brought outside to the front lawn and towards the squad cars.

“Cuff him.”

“Uhh Detective, he’s a 60 year old amputee. I don’t think he’s going to put up much of a fight.” One of the officers nearby commented.

“Did I ask for your opinion? This man is a dangerous murderer. Cuff. Him.”

“Er, yes ma’am.” 

As the officer brought out a pair of handcuffs, Naoto heard a humming sound from a ways off. Madarame began to struggle in the officers’ grasp. “This is ridiculous what could you possibly be arresting me for!?”

“We’re not arresting you. We’re simply bringing you in for questioning as well as searching the premises.” Naoto responded as she gave the man a knowing smirk. “There shouldn’t be any issues. So long as you have nothing to hide.”

“Sensei!” Yusuke called out in concern. “You can’t do this to him! He’s done nothing wrong!”

Madarame turned his head towards his student. “Go back inside Yusuke.”

“But Sensei-”

“GO BACK INSIDE!” Madarame yelled to the young man, but not in an angry tone. It seemed desperate more than anything.

The student hesitantly obeyed his teacher and went back into the house, shutting the door behind him. The humming sound from before grew louder.

“Detective, should we bring in the boy as well?”

“No, we focus on Madarame for now. Continue searching the house when we leave.”

As they opened the door to the squad car and placed the suspect in the backseat, Madarame sighed, a sad expression crossed his face.

“Got something you want to admit?” The officer standing nearest to him asked.

“Yes.”

“And what would that be?”

“I’m sorry that you all had to die.”

Naoto suddenly noticed that the humming from before had stopped. “GET DOWN!” She yelled before diving for cover. The officer next to Madarame was skewered through his chest by a large metal blade from above. A dozen more blades rained down onto the front lawn and impaled several more officers.

Less than half of Naoto’s squad remained and were hiding behind what cover they could find. When the deadly rain finally ended, Naoto glanced from her position and saw the cause of the attack. The Vulture’s wings were functioning independently from their owner and had lowered themselves close to the ground where Madarame was strapping into them, now free of his handcuffs. 

“No!” Naoto attempted to reach for her pistol, only to realize that she couldn’t due to her sling. Thinking quickly, she reached into her left pocket with her good arm and pulled out a small device before throwing it onto the wings. The device was a spider tracker, something that she’d developed for Yu to help him track criminals to their hideouts.

Madarame was fully strapped into his wings now and took off without a word. The remaining officers ran to the wounded to attempt first aid and call for help. Before helping her fellow officers, Naoto pulled out her phone and texted Amamiya an S.O.S. along with a link that would allow him to find the tracking device with his phone.

“It’s up to you now kid.” She said to herself before running in to help the injured.

[35]

The students of Shujin Academy were spending their Monday morning doing some community outreach. Picking up garbage at Inokashira Park was the school’s way of improving PR, which it desperately needed after one of its teachers became a murderous psychopath. 

So now, rather than being in class today, Ren was absent mindedly picking up trash alongside Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana. Luckily, they let students pick their own groups, so he was able to hang out with his friends.

“Ugh, this suuucks!” Ryuji leaned against a tree, his half full garbage bag lying forgotten next to him.

“It would probably go faster if you actually worked.” Ann chided the blonde boy as she took apart a destroyed umbrella.

“Not like we’re gettin’ graded on this anyway!” A man in a suit then walked past Ryuji and dropped an empty coffee cup onto the grass next to him. “Hey asshole! There’s a garbage can like two feet away!” The man didn’t pay any attention and simply looked at his phone as he walked off.

“I don’t mind it at all. As long as I get to spend more time with Lady Ann.” Morgana’s trash bag was almost completely empty. Rather than picking up garbage, he’d spent the entire time staring longingly at his crush.

Ann shot the boy an annoyed look.“You’re even worse than Ryuji!”

While his friends argued, Ren walked over to the dumpster nearby to toss his full garbage bag. As he approached, he saw a girl with long red hair trying, unsuccessfully, to lift her bag into the dumpster.

“Need some help?”

The girl flinched in surprise and turned to Ren. “Oh S-senpai! You scared me.” 

The girl’s name was Sumire Yoshizawa, the first-year girl whom Ren was helping with her social anxiety. He had met her his first week in Tokyo on the subway when she’d offered her seat to an elderly woman and a rude businessman had taken it instead. The two had tried to help the woman get her seat but ended up failing, nevertheless they bonded and became friends over time.

The younger girl stared at him, smiling and seemingly lost in her thoughts.

“Sooo...Do you need some help?” Ren asked once again.

That seemed to snap her out of her thoughts. “Oh! Right! I-if you d-don’t mind.” She blushed and looked down.

Ren chuckled at the cute display. “No problem.” He picked up both bags with ease and tossed them in.

“T-thank you.” Sumire said quietly, still looking at the ground.

“Anyti-”

“Sumire!” A female voice interrupted him. It was Kasumi, Sumire’s twin sister and avid hater of Ren. She approached the two of them and stood in front of her sister defensively. “Leave my sister alone, criminal!”

Ren sighed, “Hello Kasumi.”

Sumire walked out from behind her sister and turned to face her. “It’s fine Kasumi! Senpai was just helping me dump the garbage. How many times do I have to tell you, he’s actually really nice!”

Kasumi turned to her twin, “Don’t fall for it Sumire! That’s how he lures people in! Just look who he spends his time with, do they seem like the kind of people you should be associating with?”

“He spends time with me! We’re friends!”

“Why would you even want to be his friend!?”

While the two sisters argued with each other, Ren slowly backed away unnoticed. It seemed like no matter where he went, people were fighting. As he walked back to his group, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Checking his phone revealed it was a text from Naoto, the text only had the letters S.O.S and a link which he clicked on. Suddenly his phone pulled up a map of the city with a moving dot currently over in Shinjuku.

Ren gathered the situation immediately and ran over to the nearest teacher, which happened to be the biology professor, Dr. Maruki. The one-armed doctor was helping a group of girls cook beef stew for the students.

“Dr. Maruki! Excuse me, but do you think I could leave early?”

The professor was surprised to see his favorite student trying to leave. “What for Ren? We’ve only been here an hour, there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

“I know but it’s an emergency!”

“What happened?”

Ren struggled to come up with something. “Uhh, my cat got run over!”

A look of shock crossed the professor’s face. “Oh my! Alright, I’ll head over to the school to grab the release forms.”

“No, that’ll take too long!”

“I’m sorry Ren, but rules are rules.”

“Nevermind.” Ren ran off to his group.

“Wait! What about your cat?” The professor called after him but Ren ignored it.

“Yo dude, where ya been?” Ryuji greeted his friend while still lounging against the tree. Ann and Morgana were nearby actually doing their work.

“Guys, I need your help!” The group turned to Ren with concerned looks on their faces.

“What’s up?” Ann asked.

“I need a distraction so that I can get out of here. There’s a security guard watching our bags` and I need to grab my stuff.”

“Aw dude I wanna leave too!” Ryuji chimed in.

“No, it’s actually important.” He leaned in and whispered, “It’s y’know...A Spider-Man thing.”

The group realized the urgency and surprisingly, Morgana was the first to spring into action. He got down on one knee in front of Ann and announced loud enough for the park to hear, “My beautiful Lady Ann, would you do me the greatest honor and become my wife?”

Ann looked around, embarrassed at the display. Some people had turned their heads in curiosity, only to then immediately go back to what they were doing (This was not the first time Morgana had done this.) Ann and Ryuji looked to Ren who shrugged and silently pleaded for them to continue.

Ryuji sighed before speaking up, “W-wait! You can’t marry her because I love her!” He announced loudly as if he were in a play. Ann turned to Ryuji with a look of surprise as he also got down on one knee. This actually managed to grab the students’ attention and they began to watch the scene unfold.  
Ren rolled his eyes at the soap opera they were putting on but was thankful nonetheless. Now if they could just distract the security guard-

“You son of a bitch! She’s mine!” Morgana tackled Ryuji to the ground and began beating on him. Ren got the strange feeling that he was no longer acting, but luckily for him, the security guard ran over to break up the fight.

Ren very casually walked over to the bags, grabbed his, and began to walk out. That was until he was stopped by the student council president herself.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Makoto Nijima asked with a stern expression.

“Oh heeeyy Nijima-san.” Ren tried to look anywhere but her eyes. Glancing down, he couldn’t help but notice how good the student council president looked in track shorts. He immediately turned his gaze elsewhere to avoid looking like a creep. “I w-was just going to the bathroom.”

“With your bag?”

“Umm...Yes?.”

“Care to explain why?” Her red eyes were fierce and Ren knew she could see right through his masterfully crafted lies.

“I would but it’s kind of an emergency gottagobye!” With that he ran past her went straight past the bathroom and out of the park.

Makoto just stared at his retreating form with a befuddled look on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're approaching the end of the arc now only a few chapters left. I hope you're enjoying the story and think it's improving as it goes. This is my first time sharing my writing with others and I like to believe that I'm getting better at it the more I do it. Let me know what you think. Also, I know I said this is a Ren x harem story, but I hope you all don't mind the pacing of it, it just doesn't feel right to me to rush into it. Ideally it's going to feature that more and more as the story progresses and I have some things planned soon that will feature more romance. I hope you're all enjoying the parts I do put in and if there's a girl who you want featured more, then comment and let me know. That's all for now.


	21. Chapter 21

[36]

Ren swung through Shinjuku as fast as he could while looking at his phone. The tracker seemed to be leading him to a large warehouse that looked out of use. Landing on the ground in front of the warehouse, Ren finished slipping on his makeshift costume.

“As far as evil lairs go, I’ve seen better.” He joked to himself. “Now, how to go about this?”

Ren crawled up the outer wall and slipped in through one of the windows. As he entered, he heard the clanging of metal coming from the back. He clung to the ceiling and moved silently towards the sound. When the Vulture came into view, he was out of costume and working on his wings, seemingly attaching more metallic ‘feathers’ to them.

As Ren got a closer look at the villain, he noticed that the man was quite old with silver hair wrapped in a ponytail. Evidently, he had replaced the leg Ren had taken as he walked on two large silver talons that reminded Ren of a dinosaur’s legs. The old man seemed to be preparing for something, possibly for him, and as Ren saw it, there would be no better time to strike. Ren dropped from the ceiling and immediately webbed Vulture’s legs to the floor.

“Give it up! Just come quietly!”

“Ugh, you again. You’re a lot more annoying than the last Spider-Man.”

“Wow. And here I thought we had a good back and forth going. Y’know I make playful quips, you threaten my life, but that’s just plain hurtful.”

“Oh I’m done threatening. Usually I despise taking lives, but this...I’m going to enjoy this.” With that, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small remote. When he pressed a button on it, the wings hanging behind him whirred to life and lifted off of the chains they hung from.

“Holy-” Before Ren could finish, one of the ‘feathers’ shot from the wings at high speeds directly at him. Luckily, his spider-sense warned him and he was able to dodge it by a hair and it dug into the concrete behind him. 

The wings seemed to detect that they missed and began firing more projectiles his way, flying closer to get a better angle on him. Ren somersaulted backwards to avoid the deadly metal. ‘Thank you Sumire.’ He thought as he flipped to safety, if it hadn’t been for her teachings, he’d never have been able to pull that off.

While Ren was busy avoiding death, Madarame freed himself from his constraints, the deadly talons tearing through the webs. He approached the masked vigilante while he was still focused on the wings. Madarame got in close behind Spider-Man and reached out with a talon, the boy turned at the last second as Madarame’s talons wrapped around his chest and slammed him into a support column.

“Agh!” He cried out as he was pinned against the pillar. The strong mechanisms in Madarame’s feet whirred as they clenched harder against Ren’s body. His bones creaked and he groaned in pain.

“So much for the New Spider-mmm” Madarame was silenced by a web to the face. As he pulled at the webbing, Ren shot a web line at Madarame’s other leg and pulled with his immense strength. The older man was thrown off balance and released Ren as he fell to the ground.

Finally able to breathe again, Ren sucked in a desperate breath shortly before his spider sense went off again. He was bombarded with more metal feathers as the wings seemed to recognize that they were no longer in danger of hitting their owner. Ren rolled over and took off running from the stream of projectiles.

“Damn those things are annoying.” He said to himself as he hid behind another pillar. The projectiles suddenly came to an abrupt halt as Ren hid. He waited for a few moments, not daring to peak lest he be shot in the face. Finally, he decided to check around the pillar, he dove out from behind it and took aim where he believed the wings to be, only to catch a glimpse of the Vulture, now donning them, take off straight through the ceiling.

‘No! I can’t lose him again!’ Ren thought as he followed the winged menace through the hole he’d created. Now in broad daylight, the Vulture was easy to find in the open air. He took off after him and caught up quickly, as he closed in on his target, he was surprised when the Vulture turned and shot a feather at nearly point blank range. 

As it turns out, having a spider sense doesn’t mean much if you can’t act in time. Ren wasn’t able to dodge the foot long shard of metal that pierced deep into his left shoulder. If it hadn’t been for all the adrenaline running through his veins, he might’ve collapsed from the pain, but instead he managed to grab Vulture by the lapel of his aviator jacket. Gripping onto the jacket aggressively, Ren came face to face with the villain.

“Get off of me!” The older man attempted to punch Ren off of him, but without his tech assisting him, his blows were harmless.

“Not a chance! This time, you’re coming with me.”

“No!” Madarame pulled at his attacker’s mask and managed to tear it off. The two of them flew recklessly through the Tokyo skies, dangerously close to several large buildings.

‘I’ve got to stop him before we crash.’ Ren thought to himself. He glanced at his hand and remembered his first battle with Kamoshida. Back then, his hand had produced some kind of electrical pulse that had sent Kamoshida flying. 

‘If I can manage something like that again, I may be able to...Oh screw it, it’s worth a shot.’ As the two of them hurdled at high speeds, Ren reached out a hand to one of Vulture’s wings and tried to recreate the moment he’d first used that power. Much to his surprise, it actually worked! Blue electricity built up around his open palm and discharged into the wing. The electrical pulse shorted out both wings and the propellers in them slowed to a halt.

“W-WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Vulture cried as he began to plummet with Ren still holding onto him.

“My job.” Ren replied simply. He kicked the now useless wings and with no power they came off of Madarame’s back easily and fell harmlessly to the streets below. Ren then shot a web out to the nearest building and wrapped the, now flightless, bird-man around his arm. The two of them came to a slow halt as they hung from the line.

Ren left the elderly man hanging, completely restrained, from a light post with his talons removed and sticking to a nearby wall. With his job completed, he sent Naoto a text saying ‘Here’s your plucked goose.’ Along with his location. Naoto responded back with the okay and Ren left the scene.

Putting his phone in his pocket, Ren’s adrenaline started to wear off and he realized how much pain he was in. He looked down at his costume and saw it was shredded, he also noticed the foot long steel blade in his shoulder.

“Oh shiiit! Takemi’s gonna kill me!” More pain shot through his body. “If I don’t bleed out first.”


	22. Chapter 22

[37]

The police brought Ichirysu Madarame into the station for holding by the afternoon. The media had already learned of the generous art mogul turned killer and reporters crowded around the doors as he was wheeled in. Naoto caught a glimpse of the old man being wheeled into the front door, he was staring at the floor, his expression showed utter defeat and shame. It seemed as though the man finally realized his actions were catching up with him.

As Madarame was brought into the interrogation room for questioning, the chief of police approached her.

“Shirogane, you should go home for the night. Take tomorrow off too, you need to rest. I wish I could give you the week, but we’re stretched too thin and well...We really need you.”

Naoto furrowed her brow at the man. “I’m fine. I’m gonna go watch the interrogation.” She stepped towards the door only to feel the chief’s hand on her shoulder.

“Naoto, go home and get some sleep. You’ve been working non-stop for days, not to mention you nearly died this morning.”

“Comes with the job.” Naoto glared at the man with tired eyes.

“Naoto! You’re getting tunnel vision on this damn case! I won’t see my best detective wither herself away on some damn crusade! Go home! That is an order!” The other officers looked up at the two. The chief sighed. “I’ll send you a full report of the interrogation tomorrow, just please get some rest.”

Naoto pushed the chief’s hand off her shoulder with her good arm. “Fine, I’ll take the night off. But I am coming in tomorrow.” With that, she walked out the door and past the mob of reporters. The flashes of cameras illuminated her vision and her tiredness started to really hit her. She finished pushing through the mob who quickly lost interest as the chief of police addressed them. 

Naoto ignored the speech and made her way to the subway, now that she no longer had a car, she would be forced to take public transit. As she turned a corner she collided with another body, one much taller than her but very thin.

“My apologies, I didn’t see where I was-” The voice belonging to the individual started, but paused. “D-Detective!?”

“Hmm?” Naoto looked up at the individual’s face and recognition dawned on her. “You...You’re that boy from the Madarame estate. Your name is uhh…”

“Yusuke Kitagawa.” The boy finished for her.

“Right...Sorry, it’s been a long day. Umm, what are you doing here? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Yusuke’s face became somber. “I was on my way to see Sensei. I still can’t believe what he’s done, I don’t want to believe it. But I must speak with him, I must know why.” He turned to face her again. “But I also came to see you.”

“Me?” Naoto was surprised. “What for?”

“I wanted to give you this.” He held out a large paper bag, the kind that one would get at the grocery store.

“What’s in the bag?” Naoto asked suspiciously and made no moves to grab the bag.

“The other night, I saw you outside of Sensei’s estate. You were talking with someone over the radio and if my hunch is correct, it was Spider-Man.”

Naoto’s suspicious glare turned to an aggressive one. “That’s a pretty serious accusation. Any evidence to back it up?”

Yusuke looked surprised and put his hands up in a sign of non-aggression. “I didn’t mean that as a threat! It’s just that...That night, Spider-Man made his first public appearance that night and I was inspired! I simply had to make this...And perhaps it could be the first step in making up for Sensei’s misdeeds.” He bowed and handed Naoto the bag.

Naoto snatched it from him, not the least bit moved by his words, and glanced into the paper bag. In the low light of the afternoon, she could just make out the black cloth with red highlights in the bag.

“Please accept this and my apology for everything Sensei has done!”

Naoto looked down at the bowing teen, “Your sensei is a monster who killed three good men today and countless others over the years. An apology won’t bring back the lives he’s ended.”

“I know. And if need be I will spend every day for the rest of my life making up for it.”

Naoto sighed, “Stand up kid. Look, you’re not Madarame. Don’t let an old man’s misdeeds control you. Live for yourself and learn from his shortcomings, alright?”

Yusuke looked up, surprised at her words. “Y-Yes ma’am!”

With that the detective walked past the boy and headed into the subway.


	23. Chapter 23

[38]

Ren woke up in Takemi’s clinic and sat straight up. His head ached, his body felt sluggish, and the room seemed to be spinning. 

“Whoa there! Down boy!” Tae Takemi sat in her office chair next to the clinic’s bed and gently pushed Ren back down into the bed.

“How’d I get here? I can’t remember.” Ren held his head to try to help the vertigo.

“You walked in here a half conscious bleeding mess with a spike in your shoulder, said something incomprehensible about a bird, then passed out from blood loss. You’re lucky I didn’t have a patient in here. Anyways, I had to give you sixteen stitches and you’re gonna have a nasty scar. You would’ve healed fast enough to not need them, but you lost so much blood that it looks like you’re healing slowed down. And I couldn’t give you a blood transfusion because your blood has mutated to the point that it’s no longer compatible with an ordinary human’s.”

“Huh, noted.”

“Here, drink some orange juice you need to replenish.” The doctor offered Ren a juice box which he greedily accepted and quickly emptied.

“Ahh. Thank you.”

“Y’know, one of these days I’m going to charge you for all the shit you put me through. I have student loans to pay off you know.”

“I have like 100 yen.”

“Jesus! Ever heard of a part time job!?”

“I already have one.”

“Yeah and look where it lands you every other day.”

The two of them shared a laugh and Ren noticed that he was once again in nothing but boxers.

“Geez Doc, is it standard procedure to strip your patients this often?”

“I had to cut you out of your clothes, or at least what was left of them.” She gestured to a pile of rags discarded in the corner. Ren’s costume, which had already been on its last legs before the fight, was now completely unwearable, not to mention the fact that he lost his mask in the fight.

“Uhh Doc, you wouldn’t happen to have any spare clothes lying around would you?”

“Nope, but I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s only like a 30 second walk to Leblanc. I’m sure you can make it in half that time.”

Ren sat up on the bed. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Not at all. Here.” Takemi handed him a ziploc bag with his phone and his webshooters in them as well as the red hightops from the secondhand shop, (These shoes were surprisingly resilient, they truly don’t make them like they used to.) “You’ll be wanting these. Now get out there and take your walk of shame.”

When Ren emerged from the clinic, he was surprised to find that it was dark out. Just how long had he been passed out? His ‘walk of shame’ was more of a desperate sprint to Leblanc. Luckily, no one seemed to be out on the streets at this hour.

Checking his surroundings for spectators beforehand, Ren crawled up the wall to Leblanc and entered through his bedroom window. He tossed his items onto his bed and got dressed in his pajamas before heading down the stairs.

“What the hell!? Kid, when did you get here?” Sojiro asked behind the counter.

“Uhh, whadduya mean? I’ve been here the whole time.”

“Ugh, I must be getting old. Whatever, Futaba’s waiting for me. Mind locking up?” It wasn’t a question as Sojiro was already removing his apron.

“Sure thing Boss. Goodnight.”

“Whatever.” The bell chimed as Sojiro left.

Ren couldn’t believe that his half-assed lie worked, but he wasn’t about to look this gift horse in the mouth. He walked over to lock the door when it swung open to reveal his favorite five-foot detective carrying a paper bag.

“Good, you’re finally home.” The blue haired woman shut the door behind her.

“Uhh nice to see you too Detective.” Ren stood aside as Naoto took a seat at one of the tables. “I don’t suppose you’re here for coffee?”

Naoto ignored the question and slid the bag to Ren. “Open it.”

Ren eyed the detective suspiciously, but opened the bag regardless. “Whoa!” He pulled out the black and red costume. “This is incredible Naoto! Is this seriously for me?”

She nodded, “I can’t take credit for this. It was a boy your age named Yusuke, he was the ward of the man you brought to justice today. It seems as though he wants to make amends for his sensei’s mistakes. And don’t worry, I already checked and made sure there are no hidden cameras or listening devices and it’s not laced with any toxins.”

Ren was brought out of his amazed trance. “Oh um, yes I was just about to ask about that.” Suddenly, he took on a more serious tone. “So...Does this mean I pass? The uh, trial run I mean.”

Naoto sighed and wistfully looked off, “Y’know...I was 15 when I joined Yu on his journey as Spider-Man. I looked up to him a lot, I wished I could be like him more than anything. That being said, he could also be a complete idiot sometimes. You remind me a lot of him.”

“Thank you?”

Naoto chuckled, “He would’ve liked you.” She then looked to Ren, her eyes were softer than he’d ever seen them. “If anyone had to be bitten by that spider, I’m glad it was you. I think it would honor his memory greatly if you continued to carry on his title.”

“Wow, that means a lot Naoto-”

“However. You do realize that by accepting this, you’ll be subjected to pain you can’t imagine and you must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.”

Ren’s expression was somber. “I know. I’m willing to make that sacrifice if necessary.” He stared down at the counter. “I can’t explain it, but being Spider-Man...It gives me purpose. It feels like nothing I’ve done up until recently has mattered, and now I can finally be somebody. Does that make sense?”

Naoto simply huffed in response, stood up and made her way to the door. “Just remember kid, keep your secret close, only tell the people you trust with your life.” With that she walked out the door and into the night.

[Bonus]

That night, Ren decided to try on his new costume. The skin-tight black and red suit conformed to his body in a way that was tight yet breathable. It felt almost like a second skin.

“Holy shit! This is sweet!” He struck some poses in the mirror and admired the suit. “A little tight around the ol’ webshooter, but I could get used to-”

“REN!” A female voice called from the bottom of the stairs. It was Futaba and she was running up the stairs. It seemed that in his excitement to try on the new suit he’d forgotten to lock up.

“Hey Ren are you-” Futaba looked over the room, it seemed to be empty. “Huh, maybe he’s at the bathhouse?” She said to herself before going back downstairs.

When the sound of the bell indicated that she left, the tension left Ren’s body. ‘Uhh...What just happened?’ He thought to himself before looking back at the mirror.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” The image of Ren was missing in the mirror only to slowly reappear bit by bit. “Whoa what?” He glanced down at his hands to see that they were once again visible to the eye.

“Was that the suit? Or was it me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes the Vulture arc. Ren discovers a new ability and finally has the classic Miles Morales suit. Next arc will be structured a bit differently from this as it won't really have a central villain like the last two but it will further develop the story.


	24. Chapter 24

[39]

“Whaddya want Tora?” Ichiko Ohya once again stood in the office of her boss.

The veins on the balding 40 year old’s forehead bulged as he contained his anger. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking.

“Look Ohya, I know it’s been difficult for you with Kayo’s passing.” He paused and took a drag from his cigar. “But it’s been weeks, we need you out in the field again. You can’t just drink yourself to death in that damn bar. Vulture’s been brought to justice so it’s time to move on.”

Ohya contained her own anger. “Sure whatever, is that all you needed?”

“No, there’s something else.” He pressed the intercom on his desk. “Send him in.” A young man with long brown hair in a dress shirt and slacks walked in through the door.

“Ohya, this is our newest photographer. He’s fresh out of high school but frankly, after everything that’s happened, we’re understaffed and in need of the help.”

The young man held out his hand. “Hello there, I’m Goro Akechi. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Elsewhere in the city, Junya Kaneshiro, known in the underworld as Tombstone, stood in the workshop of Munehisa Iwai, aka The Tinkerer. The latter hunched over a table, soldering a circuit board while the former watched.

“Boss says yer underperformin’. That you haven’t been producin’ tech at an acceptable rate. And what you’ve been makin’ is sloppy and unreliable.”

“Yeah well, maybe if you guys didn’t constantly give me scraps to work with, I could make something more worthwhile. Not to mention the 3 hours of sleep I get a night and the fact that I have to do all of this by myself.” The inventor replied without looking up from his work.

“Kingpin ain’t in the business of rewarding failure.” The hulking grey-skinned man replied.

The Tinkerer looked up from the table and turned to Kaneshiro. “Oh yeah? How’d he feel about you handling that Kamoshida business? You sure controlled him.”

Tombstone grabbed the man by the collar of his jacket and slammed him into the nearest wall. “You think you’ve got any right tellin’ me how to do my job!?”

While most thugs would be quivering in fear, Iwai simply stared back at him coldly. “What’re you gonna do about it? Kill me? I’m sure that bald tub of lard would appreciate that.”

Kaneshiro bared his teeth and growled before releasing him and moving towards the door. “Don’t forget why you’re here.” Were his parting words.

At the same time, in a secure offshore prison, it was a stormy night. A heavily bandaged figure laid alone in the bed of the medical bay. The bandages concealed third degree burns covering the majority of his body. The man had been in and continued to be in immense pain, wavering in and out of consciousness for over a month now.

This night however, the man was fully conscious and aware of his pain. The doctors at this prison made sure to give their patients as little morphine as possible, choosing letting them suffer for their sins instead.Tears flowed out of his eyes from the stinging all across his singed skin. He glanced over at the fingers of his left hand, concealed in a cast, hung from a sling attached to the bed. 

Through it all, only one feeling coursed through his body stronger than the pain. That feeling was hatred. Hatred for the people who brought him to this point, hatred for the system that put him here, and most of all, hatred for the one who did this to him. He continued to stare at his hand, concentrating.

When he got out of here, when he escaped this hell, he would come for him. He would destroy the one who destroyed him. Vengeance was the only thing that kept him alive at this point. He poured all of his focus into his fingertips, this had to work! The pain in his body throbbed even worse and tears poured out of his eyes even harder.

Finally, his labors were rewarded as a tiny spark left the tip of his pointer finger. It was tiny to the point that he wasn’t completely sure whether or not he’d imagined it, but it was enough. For the first time since his incident, he smiled, he smiled a wild and maniacal smile. The figure let out a laugh, crazy and deranged as lightning up the sky outside.

Elsewhere, Naoto Shirogane sat on the sofa of her home. In her good hand she held her smartphone, it’s glow lighting up the otherwise pitch black apartment. The screen of her phone displayed her contacts list and her phone hovered over the name of her closest friend, Rise Narukami.

Naoto tried to work up the nerve to press the call button, however she couldn’t find the strength in her to speak to her. When last they’d spoken, the two had been in a heated argument over Naoto’s decisions following Yu’s death.

In truth, Naoto didn’t regret her choice to aid Ren. He was proving to be a worthy successor and a true hero for Tokyo. Rise disapproved of Ren donning her late husband’s title, not because she felt he disgraced it, but rather out of fear for the boy’s safety. And who could blame her? Her husband died doing the same thing Ren was doing now.

While the two of them couldn’t see eye to eye on this, Naoto still wanted her friend back. But the time wasn’t right, the wounds were still too fresh. The detective put away her phone and grabbed her laptop to continue her research into Tokyo’s underground.

In the Nijima household, Makoto sat on the living room couch watching the news report covering the arrest of the Vulture from the same day of the school sponsored park cleanup. The same day a certain transfer student snuck away in a hurry.

A smirk crossed the student council president’s face. “Gotcha.”

“You say something Mako?” A male voice called from behind her.

Makoto turned around. “Oh! Uh...Nothing dad!”

“Alrighty then. Hey dinner’s nearly done, go wash up.” Akihiko Nijima called from the kitchen.

“Sure thing!”

Meanwhile, in a secluded corporate laboratory, a group of workers had just finished cutting through a safe. A man in a lab coat ran up a flight of stairs to the man overseeing the task.

“Director Shido! We’ve finally broken through! Item 17A is being extracted now!”

Masayoshi Shido let out a sneer, “About time. If we fall any further behind schedule, I’ll fire all of you!”

The director looked out over the work floor and watched as his workers carefully pulled an object from the large safe. As the item was removed it was revealed to be a shining metallic red and gold suit. The suit was unfinished, exposed wires and missing armor plates made that much clear. However, what stood out most to Shido were the 4 metallic limbs that emerged from the suit’s back.

A devious grin crossed Shido’s face. “Excellent. I see great potential here.”


	25. Chapter 25

[40]

“Listen Futaba, I’d love to take you to Akihabara but I’m a little busy at the moment.” Ren flipped through the air as an explosive boomerang whirled past him only to explode against a nearby tree. “Can’t Sojiro bring you?”

Ren was currently in Inokashira park fighting a costumed villain wielding boomerangs of all things. Now dressed in his stylish new black and red suit, he was really starting to feel like Spider-Man.

“What was that sound?” Futaba asked on the other end of the phone.

“Oh just some guy on the subway watching a movie without headphones.”

“Are you seriously on the phone right now!? I’m trying to kill you!” The villain shouted angrily as he threw another boomerang, this one bladed.

“What a dick. Anyways, Sojiro can’t take me cuz he has to drive out to pick up coffee beans. Pleeease? If we don’t hurry they’re gonna sell out!”

“Alright look,” Ren swiftly dodged another projectile. “I’ll try to finish up as quickly as I can and then I’ll meet you there. Deal?”

“But...Okay.” Futaba sounded unsure. “See you-”

Ren hung up before she could finish. “Okay pal, you’ve got my undivided attention.”

“About time! And the name is Boomerang!” He punctuated by throwing another one of his namesake.

“Seriously? Boomerang?” Ren webbed the projectile to a tree.

“Hey! At least I have my own gimmick instead of ripping off a dead guy’s!”

“Low blow dude.” Ren ran in close to Boomerang. “But not as low as this!” He swept his opponent’s legs with a low kick and webbed the downed foe to the sidewalk.

The captured villain squirmed in his restraints. “C’mon man, I just needed some cash! I didn’t even hurt anyone! Please just let me go!”

“You just tried to kill me.”

“That’s all in the past. Please?”

Ren rolled his eyes under his mask and webbed the crook’s mouth.

Later in Akihabara, Ren arrived in front of the tech store in his civilian clothes. Futaba however, was nowhere to be found.

‘There’s no way I beat her here. Better go check inside.’ He thought to himself.

As he walked through the store, his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of crying. He quickly headed towards the sound until a familiar head of orange hair became visible. A concerned security guard was trying to get Futaba to speak to them.

“Little girl, I can’t help you unless you tell me what’s wrong.”

“Futaba!” Ren called from the other side of the aisle.

Futaba turned towards his voice, her face was red and her cheeks were stained with tears. Without saying a word she sprinted at him full speed and wrapped her arms around him. Ren could feel her gently sobbing onto his shirt.

“Young man, do you know this girl?” The guard approached him.

“Yeah, she’s a friend. Sorry, she gets anxious around crowds.” He gently patted her on the back. 

“Alright then, she seems to trust you, I’ll leave you to it then.” With that the guard moved past him and further into the store.

“You okay?” He asked softly while continuing to pat her.

“Mmmhmm.” She hummed into his chest while lightly nodding.

“Alright, let’s go get your...Wait what are we here for again?”

“Nmmhmmdmm.” Futaba spoke into his shirt.

“What?”

She finally pulled her face free of him and looked up at him. “New hard drive.”

“Right. Lead the way.” Futaba grabbed Ren’s hand and pulled him along with her.

When the two of them finally arrived at the right aisle, there was only one of the model Futaba wanted left in stock. Before the two of them reached it, it was grabbed off the shelf by someone else.

The man who grabbed it was incredibly shady-looking, he was dressed in a grey trench coat and hat with yellow headphones on them, the kind one would wear at a shooting range, and he had a tattoo of a gecko on his neck.

After grabbing the item, he looked over to the two teenagers. Ren couldn’t get a good read on what kind of person he was. 

It was then that the man spoke to them. “Oh, did you guys want this? My bad, here.” He held out the item to Ren.

“N-No sir, we couldn’t possibly. You were here first.” 

“Ah it’s fine. Pay it forward, right?” He placed the hard drive in Ren’s hands and left.

“Wow, what a nice guy.” Ren turned to a silent Futaba and placed her hard drive into their basket. “Sooo, you brought money right?”

The two of them walked out of the store with Ren holding several items in plastic bags. As the two of them began the trek back home, Ren glanced over to his friend.

“Are you okay Futaba? You haven’t said a word almost this whole time.”

The younger girl only responded with a huff as the two of them stepped onto the subway. They managed to find open seats and sat down with Futaba purposefully sitting two seats away from him. When the train finally arrived in Yongen, Ren questioned the girl again.

“Did I do something? Are you mad because I didn’t pay for your stuff? I’m sorry, it’s just… I’m not really liquid right n-”

“I’m not mad about the money!” Futaba shouted at him. The two had come to a stop in front of the cafe.

“Then what?” Ren gazed down at the shorter girl.

Futaba looked at him with an irritated expression and stomped her foot down. “We used to hang out all the time! We played video games and watched Neo Featherman! And now...It’s like I never see you anymore!”

“Futaba I’m so-”

“What happened!? Is it me!? Am I too nerdy!? Too young!? Too awkward!? Now you’re always hanging out with stupid Ann or that sexy doctor lady!” Futaba’s cheeks were red and tears were streaming down her face. “I-I just want my friend back!”

Ren reached out a hand to console her, but Futaba ran home before he could.


	26. Chapter 26

41]

Officer Akihiko Nijima sat in his car alongside his partner, Junpei Iori. The two of them were enjoying a fast food dinner as they staked out the site of an upcoming high tech weapons deal.

“Aaaand that basically sums up my past 5 relationships.” Junpei finished his story while simultaneously eating his burger.

“That’s great Junpei, but I didn’t really ask.” Akihiko responded.

His partner ignored the response, “What about you? How are the women in your life?”

“You know no girl could ever replace Minako. As for my girls, I couldn’t be prouder of them. Makoto’s student council president and scoring perfect grades, and Sae was recently promoted to head of security at Shido Sciences.”

“That’s great! Feels like forever since I last saw them. How about them? Any plans for future grandchildren?” Junpei elbowed his partner playfully.

“Ha! Not a chance. They’re both way too focused on their futures to be concerned with that.”

“Gee, where have I heard that before.”

“What? It’s not a bad attitude to have! It’s important for them to be well-rounded people with goals!”

“I know, it’s just...You were the same before you met Minako. All you could ever talk about was your boxing career and protein.”

“Yeah,” Akihiko looked back on memories of his late wife nostalgically. “She really was something. Look, if they find someone who means to them what she meant to me, they’ll have my full support.” The two of them sat in silence for a moment. “Doesn’t mean I won’t threaten the shit out of them though.”

“Naturally.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Akihiko spotted a large shadowy figure carrying a briefcase approaching the site. He nudged his partner to get his attention and the two of them watched silently as the exchange began to go down.

The headlights on a mint green van nearby lit up as the engine came to life. It slowly approached the figure before the back doors opened up and several more shady figures hopped out. Each of the shady figures carried a large case meant for a musical instrument.

With the buyers and sellers at the scene, it was time to act. Akihiko and Junpei nodded to one another before preparing their sidearms. The two got out of their vehicle and approached the figures.

“Tokyo Police Department! Everybody put your hands up!” A spotlight lit up the area as a police helicopter flew above the criminals. Several more officers appeared from all sides, their weapons each trained on a target.

“Shit!” The crooks popped open their cases to reveal glowing purple lights inside.

“Put those down!” Junpei shouted from beside his partner.

The crooks didn’t oblige and instead pulled free their weapons. Large silver machines with neon lights in roughly the shape of rifles. The police responded by opening fire on the criminals to little effect as they took cover behind their vehicles.

“Put down your weapons and surrender! This is your final warning!” A voice sounded from a megaphone in the helicopter above. Silence then sounded throughout the area and the police slowly took careful steps towards the van. 

Suddenly, a loud whirring noise came to life and a beam of bright purple light shot into the sky. The helicopter was struck by the beam and exploded into a purple cloud. The other criminals then popped out from their cover and began firing smaller beams at the police on the ground.

“Holy shit!” Junpei cried out as he and Akihiko dove behind cover. The cries of their fellow officers sounded out over the chaos as they were completely outgunned.

“What the hell are we gonna do!?” Junpei turned to Akihiko, desperate for a solution.

Akihiko didn’t respond and instead stood up from their cover. He took aim at one of the gunmen and fired several shots from his pistol. The shots didn’t hit the gunman but rather one hit his rifle's neon lights. 

Whatever part he hit, he damaged the rifle badly, the whirring noise sounded loudly again and the rifle exploded in the man’s hands. The resulting shockwave sent the rest of the gunmen and the van flying from their original spot.

“Move in!” Akihiko called out to his fellow officers as he led the charge to arrest the downed criminals. His pistol was still raised in preparation for anyone still standing. He saw the exploded remains of the rifle he shot along with a pile of ash that he assumed was originally it’s owner. 

The rest of the shooters were spread out across the ground seemingly disoriented. Akihiko signalled to his fellow officers to quickly cuff them. By his count, there was still one criminal unaccounted for, the large man with the briefcase.

Suddenly, as if on cue, the body of an officer in full riot gear flew past Akihiko and hit a nearby wall with a sickening crack. He turned to where the body came in from and from the shadows emerged a large imposing figure. “

The man had to be nearly 8 feet tall, he wore a large purple button-up shirt with a black coat and slacks. His skin was a pale grey color and his hair was a ghostly white. He stared down at Akihiko and he got a good look at his eyes, bloodshot with yellow sclera and red irises. His rotting teeth were sharpened to a point as he smiled down on his prey. This was a notorious criminal of Tokyo’s underground, Junya Kaneshiro, Tombstone.

“Hey there lil’ policeman.” His voice was low and gravelly, further adding to his intimidation.

Akihiko fired the remaining rounds in his pistol into the behemoth’s gut. The grey man didn’t even flinch as the bullets fell harmlessly to the ground.

“Now you jus’ went and ruined one of my good shirts. You’re gonna pay for that.”

Akihiko backed away and loaded another clip, only for his foe to quickly move forward and grab the barrel of his gun. Akihiko fired off several more rounds into his hand to no effect and the gun’s barrel creaked and bent between the man’s fingers. Akihiko released his now unusable weapon and backed away from his foe once more.

While most officers would back down at this point, Akihiko was not most officers. He readied his fists and took up a fighting stance.

Tombstone saw this and let out a chuckle. “For real? I’m gonna enjoy this!” He lunged forward with his fist raised.

Akihiko weaved to the side and got in two quick jabs and a punch to the jaw before moving away again. His fists felt like he’d just punched a cinder block barehanded and his opponent seemed surprised, but not hurt in any way.

“The fuck?” The large man looked at the officer incredulously. The surprise in his eyes turned to anger as he moved in again, this time trying to grab his opponent.

Akihiko ducked under him and this time delivered a kick to the jaw, he heard a loud clack as the man’s sharp teeth were forced together. Taking advantage of his surprise this time, the officer delivered another gut jab, grabbed the man’s massive arm, and, using his immense wait against him, flipped him over his shoulder.

The young officer once again resumed his fighting stance as he intently watched his opponent on the ground. The large man’s eyes were wide with shock and he seemed unable to comprehend what had just happened. His senses returned to him after a few moments and he got up from the concrete.

“What the hell!?” The man rubbed his jaw. “The fuck are you? Supercop?”

“I’m just a guy who doesn’t know when to give up.” Akihiko attempted to control his breathing, this fight was taking a lot out of him.

Tombstone charged forward for a tackle and this time, Akihiko was unable to avoid it. He was slammed hard against a wall, knocking the wind from his lungs. Looking up, Kaneshiro was already winding up for a punch while pinning him to the wall.

Thinking quickly, the martial artist hit a pressure point on Tombstone’s wrist and, fortunately for Akihiko, his attacler’s grip loosened enough for him to free himself. He then delivered a kick that would shatter a normal person’s kneecap, but Tombstone was no normal person. 

More irritated than anything, Kaneshiro wrapped his hand around the officer’s throat and lifted him off of his feet. He then used his other massive fist to punch him in the gut, Akihiko felt his intestines shift and several ribs break. Before he could even think about the damage that had done, another blow struck him directly in the face.

Akihiko's face was bloody, one of his eyes was swollen shut, several teeth had been knocked loose and his nose was broken. Despite all of that, he clung to consciousness and attempted to pry the large fat fingers around his throat.

Tombstone chuckled at the sight, “Goddamn! You really are a fighter! I’ll be sure to remember you officerrrr...Niijima. Huh, sounds familiar.” He read Akihiko’s nametag aloud.

As Akihiko struggled against the large fist, the corners of his vision were going dark. His life began to flash before his eyes and his mind drifted to his family. Mako and Sae, still so young. They had already lost their mother, and now, they’d lose their father too. He’d never get to watch Makoto go to the prom, or graduate. He’d never get to make the girls’ favorite blueberry waffles for breakfast again. He’d never get to walk them down the aisle, or play with his grandchildren.

A light shined out of the corner of his eye. This was it. At the very least, he’d finally get to see Minako again. The light was coming closer now, it was the only thing visible anymore. He finally decided to let go and drift off. It was time to be with the woman he loved again.

As he closed his eyes, a feeling of calm came over him. 

That calm was then interrupted by the sound of a car horn blaring loudly followed by the sound of metal crunching and glass shattering.

Akihiko hit the ground hard but was finally able to draw breath. He gasped for air and opened his one good eye to see the blurry image of a figure in front of him.

“-EY! HEY! You still with me!?” It was Junpei. “Oh thank god! We gotta get you outta here, you’re in bad shape.”

Akihiko turned his head and saw what’d happened. Junpei had rammed the squad car directly into Kaneshiro who was now pinned against the side of a building slumped over the hood.

“That won’t *huff* hold him.” Akihiko managed between breaths.

“I know. But it’ll buy us time. C’mon.” Junpei slumped his partner over his shoulder and the two hobbled towards the other officers as quickly as they could manage. The others were finishing capturing the criminals who’d violently resisted arrest.

“We need to get out of here! NOW!” Junpei called out to them. As soon as he said that, they heard the squad car being moved followed by a violent yell from behind them.

“Shit he’s awake! Hurry! C’mon!” Junpei continued to drag his partner alongside him.

“Junpei.” Akihiko said quietly through his sore throat. “Go. I’ll just slow you down.”

“No way man! I’m not gonna leave you.”

“Jus-*cough* *cough* Just go!”

Before Junpei could respond, the sound of yelling became louder and he turned around to see Tombstone charging straight for them.


	27. Chapter 27

[42]

As the bell rang, dismissing students from class, Ren packed his notebooks into his bag. The rest of the students had already left and as he was about to join them, Ms. Kawakami approached him.

“Amamiya, you’re wanted in the student council room.”

“What? Again? What’d I do?” Ren was flabbergasted.

“I don’t know. Please just go.” Kawakami responded while rubbing her temples.

Ren made his way up the stairs to the 3rd floor. He tried to recall anything he’d done as of late to be in trouble. Surely it couldn’t be what happened at the park cleanup, that was weeks ago if he was going to get busted for that it would’ve been much sooner.

When he entered the student council room, he was greeted by the sight of the student council president staring out the window. Makoto Niijima seemed...off. Her usual pristine look was oddly disheveled, her hair was matted in some places and her posture was much more tense,

“You wanted to see me Niijima-san?”

The older girl was caught off guard by his sudden appearance, but she quickly regained her composure. She took a deep breath before speaking.

“Close the door please.” She ordered in a near whisper.

Ren complied, his heart rate elevated from the tension in the air. When the door closed shut, Makoto placed both of her hands on the table, (a new one considering Ren broke the old one in half.)

She looked up at him, her red eyes were dead serious. “I know you’re Spider-Man.”

Ren’s heart raced even faster as his mind attempted to weave together an excuse. “W-What are you-”

“Don’t! Don’t even try lying to me! I’m not playing games here! I figured it out after what happened with Madarame!”

“Makoto I’m not-”

She slammed her hands down furiously. “SHUT. UP. AND. LISTEN.”

Ren gulped, afraid of the girl in front of him. He waited for the girl to continue. Makoto looked away from Ren and wiped her eyes. She’d been crying, that much was evident from her face.

After taking a moment, she continued, “I need to ask you something. Where were you last night at 10:30pm?”

Ren gave her a questioning look. “In my room, doing homework.”

Makoto stared the boy down, she seemed to believe his answer but she wasn’t happy with it.

“Really? Are you aware that there was an illegal arms deal in Shinjuku last night?”

“What!?” Ren’s alarm at that information betrayed his lie.

Makoto’s temper rose again. “7 officers died! And my father…” She paused and wiped her eyes again. “My father was put into a coma.”

Ren watched the president’s composure break once more. This time he approached her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Okay. I admit it. I’m Spider-Man. Now please, tell me everything you know.”

Later that evening, Ren swung through the city, calling Naoto on his phone. He’d become adept enough at swinging to multitask while doing it. When the detective finally picked up the phone, Ren wasted no time getting to the point.

“What is it?” The voice of the older woman came through the other line.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the arms deal last night? I could’ve been there!”

“That was official police business, Ren. You’re not an officer of the law and we don’t officially work with you. Having you appear at the site of a secret investigation could end up exposing our entire operation.”

“People died, Naoto! Are you seriously telling me that our secret was worth their lives!?” Ren was outraged.

“They know what they signed up for. We all do.” Her tone was monotonous, almost robotic.

“Yeah well, when I accepted your partnership, I expected to be kept in the loop.” When no response came, Ren spoke once more. “Please Naoto. Tell me how I can help. There has to be something I can do!” Guilt over the lives lost racked Ren’s mind.

Ren heard a sigh come from the other end of the phone. Finally Naoto spoke, “There is something. A suspected hideout for the criminal underground, it’s going to take days to put together a warrant to search the place and by the time we do, they’ll most likely have relocated. I’m texting you the address, be careful.”

“Thank you.” But the detective had already hung up. He checked his phone and saw that the address was in Shibuya. It would take maybe 5 minutes by swinging to get there. So he took off at full speed, prepared to stop any further killing.

When he arrived at the place, he examined the building. A small one story building with a burnt out neon sign that read ‘Untouchable.’ The place looked abandoned which wasn’t surprising, Shibuya was a ghost town ever since the terrorist attack. Reconstruction efforts were taking place, but hadn’t begun in this area yet.

Ren stepped through the front door and heard the weak chime of the bell. The building was undamaged, but the inside of it was cleared out. He wasn’t even sure what kind of a shop this place was to begin with.

A thorough search throughout the shop yielded no results. Could the criminals have already cleared out? Ren rested an arm against a shelf in the back before punching it in anger.

“Goddammit! Am I really that useless?” Ren sat down on the shop floor, frustrated at the situation.

Suddenly, he felt a breeze on the back of his suit. “What the-?” He stood up and turned around. Behind the shelf he’d bent, the shop went further on.

Ren picked up the large metal shelf with ease to reveal a short staircase with a metal door leading to a basement. Next to the door was a keypad and a security camera. It seemed like Ren had found the hideout.

“Holy shit!” He laughed at his good fortune, moving down the stairs to the door.

The metal door was heavily reinforced to the point that Ren wouldn’t be able to break it down. So instead he turned to the keypad and decided to work his magic. He tore out the front of it to expose the wiring beneath and placed the palm of his hand on it.

“C’mooon venom blast.” He concentrated on his hand and attempted to make the blue electricity come out once more (He’d decided that the move needed a cooler name.) After a few moments of waiting, his hand came to life with electricity and short circuited the door, causing it to open.

“YES!” He yelled before realizing he was on a covert mission. “Shit, I mean yes!” He whispered to himself.

As he entered the secret basement, he saw that it starkly contrasted the shop above. High tech weapons and gadgets lined all of the walls, scrap metal and wiring littered the floor beneath him, and every table was filled with unfinished projects. As a science nerd, Ren was amazed, but as a vigilante he was horrified by the damage that could be done with these.

“Good, you’re here.” A voice came from the back of the workshop.

Ren turned in surprise, his spider sense didn’t alert him of any danger, but he raised his webshooters regardless. A figure stepped out of the back room, to Ren’s surprise, he recognized the man.

It was the same man he’d seen days prior in Akihabara. The man with the grey coat and gecko tattoo took a seat at a desk.

“We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I'm keeping you all invested in the story. This arc is going to be very different than the two villain arcs preceding it and I hope that you all enjoy that. There's gonna be a lot of moving parts going forward. Hell, I have to keep notes so I don't forget any character arcs or plot holes. Please let me know how you think I'm doing as this is my first time putting my writing out there. See you soon!


	28. Chapter 28

[43]

“Talk? You’re a criminal, you can talk to the police.” Ren was surprised at how calm this man was, it was like he’d been expecting him.

“There’s no time for that. We’ve got less than 5 minutes before Kinpin’s men get here.”

“What!?”

“They saw you on the camera and are on their way. I cut the camera feed in here so they can’t see or hear us right now. I don’t have long so I’ll keep it short. My name is Munehisa Iwai, in the underground I’m known as the Tinkerer. I build weapons for thugs that the Kingpin wants armed.”

Ren was shocked at the amount of information that he was getting, from one of the bad guys no less! What the hell was going on?

Iwai continued on, “Kamoshida, Madarame, and any other criminals carrying high tech gadgets, they got them from me.”

“Why tell me all this?” 

“Because I want to put a stop to it as much as you do.” Iwai stared Ren dead in the eyes.

“Then why help them at all!?” Ren questioned angrily, it was thanks to his weapons that so many people were dead or injured.

The Tinkerer looked down sadly. “They have my son.”

“Your son?”

“Kaoru. I don’t know where they’re keeping him, but Kingpin has been holding him hostage somewhere for the past 3 years. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to save him. But I can’t let this senseless violence go on any longer.”

“Then please help me. Help me save your son and put a stop to this.”

“I am! I have been from the beginning. I’ve been sabotaging my own equipment to make sure it fails. You saw how Kamoshida’s gear fried him. You think that was an accident? I’ve been doing everything I can to slow these criminals down without exposing myself.”

Once again, Ren couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There’d been someone on the other side looking out for him this whole time.

Iwai checked his watch. “Shit! We don’t have much time.” He stood up from his desk and placed his hands on a large device sitting in front of him. “You need to find Kaoru! Save him and the police will have my complete cooperation.” He turned on various switches and buttons on the device before picking it up.

“What is that!?” Ren asked, his voice worried.

“Sorry, I need to make it look like I fought you.” He aimed the cannon-like device at Ren as it charged up. “Please. Find my son.” Iwai’s voice was sad before he pulled the trigger.

Ren’s spider sense went crazy as a sonic wave shot out of the device and blew Ren out the door. The blast threw him through the shop window and the glass shattered around him as he landed on the street.

As he picked himself up, his body feeling the aftershock and his ears ringing, he saw 3 black vans pull to a stop around him. When they pulled to a stop, a dozen armed men stepped out of the cars.

“Ugh. I don’t suppose any of you are my uber driver?” Ren stood up shakily and braced for a fight.

They aimed their assault rifles at him and opened fire. Ren swung onto a light post to reach a higher vantage point. Before they could readjust, he leapt over them and shot weblines to each gun and pulled them from their hands. Webbing them together to a wall, Ren landed between a pair of thugs.

“Alright boys, I want a good clean fight! No guns, no knives, and no name calling!”

He grabbed both of the thugs’ heads and slammed them into one another, knocking both of them out. He webbed the foot of another thug and pulled him to the ground. One thug decided to run at him clutching a pair of brass knuckles. Ren flipped over his shoulder, grabbed his torso and tossed the thug at two more.

“C’mon guys! I don’t wanna hurt you any more than I need to. Why not just surrender and tell me what you’re planning?”

As soon as Ren said that, 6 more cars came barrelling past the corner, undoubtedly carrying more thugs.

“Whoa would you look at the time! I gotta go!” He turned to the nearest building and ran up the side. He must be getting pretty good at wallcrawling, now he didn’t even need to think about it as he sprinted across the glass.

His thoughts were interrupted by a hail of gunfire shattering the glass around him. He jumped from the side of the building, backflipping through the air before sending out a webline to swing. As he quickly swung away from the scene, the gunfire stopped and he was able to rest.

Ren sat atop the remains of an electronic billboard on the side of a skyscraper and gathered his thoughts on the information he’d just received. He had so many questions. It seemed as if Iwai had expected Ren to already have knowledge regarding the Tokyo underground.

Who the hell was Kingpin? What did they need all this tech for? There had to be some further purpose beyond creating chaos across Tokyo.

‘I’m gonna need to have a chat with Naoto.’ He thought to himself before his phone went off. Checking it showed it to be a text from Ryuji.

‘Hey man, wanna come get some beef bowl? Lemme know.’

Ren’s stomach growled at the thought. ‘I could eat.’

He arrived at the restaurant in his civilian clothes. Ryuji was already waiting inside at a table. When he waved him over, Ren noticed that he wasn’t alone. An unfamiliar boy with blue hair sat next to him.

“What’s up man?” Ren greeted his friend at the table.

“Oh hey!” Ryuji stood to greet him. “Come meet this guy!” He gestured to the blue haired boy.

“Ren, meet Yusuke. Yusuke, this is Ren.”

“Hello.” Yusuke greeted and Ren nodded to him. Everyone took their seats as introductions concluded.

“I met Yusuke here in the park earlier, dude picked up a mushroom off the ground and ate it!” Ryuji laughed, remembering their encounter. “At first, I thought he was on drugs. Then I spoke to him and learned the dude’s just plain crazy.”

Yusuke didn’t seem to take any offense to this. In fact he wasn’t even paying attention, he was too busy staring at the menu.

“Turns out, dude’s been homeless for like a week now. He was an art student who lost all his money, so I guess he’s just been living in the park? I dunno man, but he seemed hungry so I thought I’d treat him.”

Ren looked at his friend, surprised at this. “Wow, that’s surprisingly generous of you Ryuji. Were you trying to impress a girl?”

“Dude! I can be nice sometimes! My mom raised me right.” (There had in fact been a girl watching who Ryuji was trying to impress. But somehow, offering Yusuke some spare change had turned into a dinner invitation.)

“Alright. Alright. Any particular reason you invited me?”

Ryuji shrugged, “Eh, just thought I’d invite some friends.”

Yusuke took this time to chime in, “Is this the friend who I’ll be staying with tonight?”

Ren turned to Yusuke, then to Ryuji who was attempting to shush him. Ryuji looked at Ren sheepishly.

“I kinda offered him a meal and a place to crash for the night, but my place is too small.”

“Ryuji.”

“Dude! It’d just be one night! Pleeeease?”

‘I wouldn’t be much of a hero if I forced this guy to sleep outside.’ Ren thought to himself. ‘But, it’s not really up to me now is it? I gotta ask Boss.’

“Fine.” Ren finally answered, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Awesome! Dinner’s on me so order whatever you want!”

Between the starving artist and the broke superhero with an enhanced metabolism at the table, Ryuji would come to regret his decision that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been on a hotstreak with chapters lately. I'm starting to lose a bit of steam. I'd love some feedback from the readers if you guys have any, comments from you guys are what keep me motivated. Again I am still open to any and all criticism so let me know what you think!


	29. Chapter 29

[44]

It was an early Saturday morning, the sun was only barely peeking out over the horizon. Ren swung through the city skylines before landing on a rooftop.

It’d been a shitty night for the teenage vigilante. Convincing Sojiro to let a stranger crash at Leblanc was hard enough on its own. But that wasn’t it, Ren couldn’t sleep at all last night. Everything that’d been happening recently weighed too heavily on his conscience.

Almost a dozen police officers were dead or hospitalized, Futaba hated him, Naoto was keeping secrets from him, and now the criminal underground was holding a child hostage. All in all, it was safe to say that homework was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

Ren had spent the entire night patrolling the city, searching for any clue as to the whereabouts of Kaoru Iwai. He’d thought of calling Naoto, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t be very forthcoming with information. This was a solo mission.

So far he’d stopped 3 muggings, a carjacking, an illegal street race, and helped an inebriated man get home safely. Overall, a productive night but not one that made him feel any better about his situation. Ren went to check the time on his phone, only to find the battery was dead. 

“Wonderful.” He said aloud.

“SOMEONE HELP!” A cry sounded from below.

Ren looked over the building’s edge to see a purse snatcher running from a woman on the sidewalk. Without a second thought, he leapt into action, shooting a web line and swinging after the fleeing man.

When the purse snatcher glanced behind him and saw a friggin’ superhero chasing after him, he was understandably afraid. Panicked, he slapped a button on the side of his thigh and his new tech sprung into action.

Ren watched in confusion as the fleeing criminal seemed to become taller as he ran. His steps became strides as his legs stretched further and further out. As they extended past his pant legs, Ren saw telescoping metal bars emerge from beneath the man. He’d seen plenty of amazing tech since becoming Spider-Man (mostly in the hands of criminals) but none as downright silly as this.

The man now stood 20 feet tall with almost all of his height in his...stilts? He took long wobbly strides in an attempt to escape his pursuer, but they were in vain. Ren caught up to him quickly before swinging circles around his legs, wrapping them in a spiral of web line (Ren saw it in a movie once and wanted to try it out.)

The purse snatcher lost his balance and began the long fall down. A fall from that height would’ve landed him in the hospital, if it weren’t for the black and red garbed superhero catching him at the last moment. Now on the ground, immobilized by his own device, the criminal looked up at his pursuer with pleading eyes.

“I give up! I give up! Please don’t hurt me!” He cried waving his arms in surrender.

Normally, Ren would go easy on a criminal like him. He was young, probably only a bit older than Ren himself, he’d done no real harm and had already surrendered. But, the situation presented a possible lead for the missing child case.

“Your tech! Where’d you get it!?” He grabbed the man’s jacket collar and tried to sound as intimidating as possible.

He may have done too well as the criminal before him sobbed uncontrollably. But Ren didn’t let off, instead continuing to press him for answers.

“Do you work for Kingpin!? Where’s he keeping the kid!? Answer me!”

All he got in response was more crying from the criminal. Who couldn’t even seem to form words. Ren set the bawling man down and webbed his hands together to leave him to the police. Maybe Naoto could get some answers from him, whether she chose to share them though, would be unclear.

“Excuse me.” Another voice came.

Ren looked up to see a young man with long brown hair wearing a blue sweater vest and slacks. He held a briefcase in his hand and had an expensive looking camera hanging from his neck.

“I thought I heard you talking about a missing child? I think I may be of some assistance.”

Ren was a bit skeptical, “Look, as much as I’m willing to help any missing children, right now I’m looking for a specific-”

“You mentioned the Kingpin, correct?” The bystander interrupted. “He’s something of a topic of interest to me. If you’re looking for a child he’s kidnapped, I may be able to aid in your search.”

Ren stood up, leaving the mess of a criminal tied up. “Excuse me for asking this, but who are you exactly? And how exactly do you think you could help?” It wasn’t a very superhero thing to do, asking random bystanders for help, but Ren was new at this, cut him a break.

The young man was surprised for a moment, “Oh! Forgive my lack of manners. I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself.” He held out a hand. 

“My name is Akechi. Goro Akechi.”


	30. Chapter 30

[45]

Makoto looked down at her phone, confirming that this was indeed the address she was looking for. But that couldn’t be the case, this wasn’t a house or an apartment, it was a cafe. Regardless, she entered, maybe someone would know him and point her to the right place.

The bell of the cafe rang as the student council president entered, and 6 pairs of eyes turned to her. She immediately recognized some familiar faces, Sakamato, Takamaki, and the first year, Philemon. Amamiya’s regular friend group. She also saw three more faces she didn’t recognize, a short girl in a green jacket with orange hair and glasses, a tall boy with long blue hair, and an older man with a goatee behind the counter.

“E-Excuse me, I’m looking for Ren Amamiya. Does anyone here know where he’s staying?” She said, mainly looking at the adult in the room.

“Oh? And who might you be?” The man behind the counter replied. “If he’s caused any trouble, you have my sincerest apologies. And know that he will be reprimanded.”

“Oh n-no! Nothing like that!” The girl stuttered out, “I just had some questions for him.”

“Who did you say you were again?” The man questioned.

Before Makoto could give a reply, Sakamato chimed in. “She’s the student council prez.” He then turned to Makoto with malice in his eyes. “Which gives her jackshit authority here.”

Makoto wasn’t deterred by her schoolmates’ reaction to her being here. She had as much a right to be here as she did. But she was disappointed by the fact that they still thought of her as an enemy.

“I need to speak to Amamiya. Do you know where I can find him?” She repeated her initial question.

The cafe owner spoke once more. “Well, normally you’d find him here. He lives upstairs in the attic, but no one’s seen him all morning. These 3 came in looking for him too.” He gestured to her classmates sitting in one of the booths.

“We’ve tried calling, but no luck.” Takamaki chimed in.

“A-Alright. Would it be okay if I wait he-”

Before Makoto could finish, the bell chimed once again. She turned around to see the man in question enter the cafe.

Ren Amamiya looked terrible, bags under his eyes, his usual fluffy hair was matted with sweat, and he leaned against the doorway like he couldn’t stand on his own. When he saw the student council president in front of him, a look of surprise showed in his tired eyes.

“Oh, Nijima-san! What’re you-”

“Ren!” Three voices cried in unison from behind Makoto. She was pushed aside as Sakamoto, Takamaki, and the orange haired girl ran to embrace Ren.

“Whoa! Hey guys what’s up?” Ren asked the trio who tightly clung to his chest.

“We were worried dude! You disappeared on us without a word!” Ryuji said, releasing his best friend.

“What the hell was that about anyway!? I texted you at least a dozen times!” Ann released him as well before stomping her foot and pouting.

“Sorry about that, my phone died.” He held up the dead device. “I had to work the nightshift.”

“Wha? Dude when did you get a-OW!” Ryuji cried as Ann slapped the back of his head. Makoto found that suspicious.

When Makoto looked back at Ren, she noticed that the short girl had yet to release him. Instead she opted to keep her head buried in his chest.

“Uhh, Futaba?” Ren questioned the shorter girl.

She muttered something faint over and over again. When Ren gently pushed her head off of his chest, her words became audible.

“-rryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorry!”

“Futaba…” Ren said softly before allowing the girl to continue clinging to him.

“Well,” The cafe owner, presumably Ren’s guardian, spoke once more. “I’m glad you’ve gotten yourself a job. But be sure to let us know next time you’re gonna be gone. Futaba was worried sick, thought you up and vanished cuz of something she said.”

“I would never.” Ren replied, patting the girl on the head reassuringly. Futaba panicked and released Ren, her cheeks were red as she ran behind the counter to the older man.

“By the way,” The owner said. “Your friend here is very polite. He said my curry was like eating a masterpiece.” He gestured to the tall boy. “Hey, since it’s a Saturday, why don’t you kids go out and do something. Can’t have you all crammed in here scaring off my customers.”

“Yeah! Great idea Boss!” Sakamato cheered, he began herding everyone out the door.

“Wait! But...sleep!” Ren protested faintly as he was pushed out the door with little effort.

The group of 7 teenagers ended up in Kichijoji at a place called the Penguin Sniper. The guys of the group were competing in darts while the girls sat at the counter with drinks (non-alcholic of course, they were all still minors.) Futaba distanced herself from the other two girls, opting to go on her phone instead of talk.

When Ren came over to the counter for his drink, Takamaki spoke to him. “Hey Ren, think we could talk in private?” Could there be something going on between the two of them?

Makoto suddenly realized that she hadn’t gotten to speak to Ren regarding her questions, the entire reason she came to the cafe today! Ren was about to walk off with Takamaki, when Makoto chimed in.

“W-Wait Ren! I have something important to ask you!”

Ren turned to her, “What’s up?”

Makoto knew she couldn’t mention anything Spider-Man related out loud. She didn’t know if anyone else here knew his secret afterall.

“It’s...Something we need to discuss in private. But it’s urgent!” She tried to get her point across subtly.

“Oh, alright.” Ren began to walk over to Makoto, when his arm was grabbed by Takamaki,

“My thing is important too!” She said, pulling him back with her.

“Takamaki, what could you possibly need that would be so urgent?” Makoto looked at the blonde girl skeptically. Ann Takamaki was, from what Makoto knew about her, a bit of an airhead who tended not to take anything too seriously. She got to coast through life using her good looks instead of working hard.

“Excuse me!?” Takamaki was clearly offended. She began to approach Makoto with malicious intent before being stopped by Ren.

“GodI’mtootiredforthis.” He murmured. “Okay private talk!” He grabbed each of their hands. “Us three!”

The trio approached an empty corner of the room and Ren stood before both girls, his back leaning against the wall.

“Ann, Makoto, let’s get this out of the way. Both of you know about my secret identity already.”

“You told her!?” Both girls yelled at once, pointing to one another.

Ren winced at the sound, his bagged eyes looked at them both with a tired expression. “Yes, you both know. I trust both of you.” He turned to Makoto, “Ryuji and Morgana also know. Yusuke and Futaba do not know. So please try to keep it down.”

“Okay.” They both looked away, embarrassed at the outburst.

“Now.” Ren inhaled and placed his hands together. “What did you need to tell me?”

As Makoto was about to ask her question, Takamaki spoke first. “Where were you really last night?”

“Doing Spider-Man shit.”

Ann gave him an annoyed look and gestured for him to elaborate.

Ren rolled his eyes, “Ugh. Okay, there’s a missing child out there somewhere. That child is being held hostage by some bad people. I spent the night looking for him. I didn’t find him, but I have a lead.”

“What’s the lead?” Makoto asked before Ann could.

“I’m meeting someone tonight who said he could help me find the kid. So I would very much like to get some sleep before that meeting. Are there any more questions?”

Makoto and Ann looked at one another before turning away. “Another time.” They said in unison.

Later, as the group walked through Inokashira Park, Ryuji questioned Yusuke more about his past. Yusuke finally decided to inform the group.

“Well, if you must know, I was a student to Madarame.” Makoto stared at the boy in shock. “It turned out, I didn’t know what kind of a man he truly was.” Yusuke looked at the ground with a sad expression before continuing.

“He murdered police officers...Right on our doorstep. When he was finally captured, I didn’t know what to feel, he was the man who raised me afterall. But now, I suppose I’m glad Spider-Man put him away.” Makoto looked over at Ren, who’s eyes were hidden beneath his hair, both of his fists clenched, and his lip quivering.

“It turns out, Madarame did care for his students. We weren’t just a cover for his crimes.” Yusuke continued, everyone in the group listening intently. “He left a fund for each of us. Enough to finish our educations and begin our careers...I was the only one to decline.”

“Dude...why?” Ryuji questioned.

“It was blood money. I had no right to accept it, otherwise I would be as guilty as him. My art will not be tainted by the atrocities committed in its name!” Yusuke paused, “At least, that’s what I’d like to believe. But it may already be too late for that.”

“It’s not.” Ren finally spoke, still not looking up. “It’s not too late.”

Yusuke gave an understanding smile. “I like to believe so too. My latest project truly exemplifies justice and righteousness. I am quite proud of it.”

“What’s your latest project?” Ann asked.

“Why, it’s the costume of our city’s greatest hero!”

“DUDE!” Ryuji cried, “You made Ren’s suit!?”

Yusuke and Futaba gave Ryuji a weird look before Ann smacked him in the head.

“What!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I took some time to reexamine my notes and work on some upcoming arcs. I think I've got something you'll all like. Expect more chapters soon! Comment and let me know what you think, I love reading comments. Also if you need a reminder, Makoto refers to the name Philemon in this chapter, that's Morgana's last name in this story just FYI.


	31. Chapter 31

[46]

It was 10pm when Ren arrived at the designated location for the meeting, the rooftop of an apartment building. He swung up there in his costume, finally having rested a few hours beforehand. He didn’t even want to think about the fact that Futaba and Yusuke knew his secret now. (Thanks Ryuji.)

Akechi was already waiting for him when he got there. He walked over to the edge where Ren landed to greet him.

“Ah, I’m glad you made it.” He greeted.

“Do you have the kid’s location?” Ren got straight to the point, not wanting to waste any time.

Akechi simply smiled and pulled a slip of paper from his pocket, handing it to Ren. Ren accepted the paper, looking at its content. On it was an address along with a floor and room number. They were keeping him at a hotel?

“How exactly did you come across this information?” Ren questioned.

“A good reporter must have eyes and ears in all manner of places.”

That answer didn’t satisfy Ren, “Really? And you just happened to know the right criminals?”

Akechi finally relented and gave a sigh, “I had a...rough upbringing. I was never a part of any criminal acts, but I did meet some useful contacts whom I still keep in touch with.”

Ren realized that he’d pushed a little too far, “Alright, if you’ll excuse me there’s a-”

“Hold on!” Akechi interrupted Ren before he could leave. “I believe I was promised an interview!”

The vigilante turned to the reporter, “There’s a child being held hostage and you want an interview now!?”

“It will only be a quick one! I was assured that he was perfectly safe and in good health.”

“Ugh. Fine but make it quick. And no questions that could reveal my identity.”

“Of course.” Akechi pulled out a notepad and recording device. “First question: How did you receive your powers?”

“Same as Yu Narukami. Bitten by a spider.”

“I can’t imagine it was any ordinary spider. Where did it occur?” Akechi pressed further.

“Uh, on my hand?”

Akechi didn’t appreciate the attempt at humor, instead waiting for a real response.

“I can’t say where it happened, that could jeopardize my identity. It obviously wasn’t an ordinary spider, someone had messed with it somehow. Whether it was genetically modified or radioactive or something, I honestly don’t know.”

The reporter seemed to accept that that was the best he would get, moving on to the next question. “What made you choose to become Spider-Man? Plenty of other people in the city have powers or advanced technology and use it for crime. Why fight for justice when you could easily benefit from them instead?”

Ren raised an eyebrow, (under the mask) he honestly hadn’t considered using his powers for his own personal gain. “I guess I was just inspired? I grew up a fan of the original Spider-Man and when I got these powers, I just felt like I was meant to do this. Does that make sense?”

Akechi nodded and jotted down some quick notes. “Final question: Where were you on the day of the Shibuya attack?”

That question caught Ren offguard. Unsure of whether answering could result in exposing himself and wanting to finish this interview quickly, he spoke. “I was in Shibuya at the time. On the ground, afraid like everybody else. I didn’t have my powers at the time.” That last part was a bit of a half truth, he had them, he just didn’t know it at the time.

“I see.”

“Alright, if we’re done here I gotta go.” Ren leapt off of the building without awaiting a response.

Meanwhile, across town in a containment cell for powered individuals, Kaneshiro sat on a cell bed far too small for him.

It’d taken over 200 rounds of ammunition, 8 canisters of tear gas, and a second police vehicle running him over to finally bring him down. When he’d finally come to, he was in this reinforced bulletproof glass cell made to hold individuals with superhuman strength. He had come to that conclusion when punching it for 20 minutes failed to even leave a crack in the thick glass.

So here he sat, presumably awaiting his trial. He didn’t know as he hadn’t seen or spoken to anyone since waking up here. The lights remained on at all hours, making telling time nearly impossible, he could only guess based on when meals were sent through a small chute next to his toilet, which was also too small for him.

As Kaneshiro sat in the cell, bored out of his mind for what seemed like the million hours he’d been there, he saw a group of me approaching. The police officers, by the looks of them, approached the cell hastily.

The officers tried to speak to Kaneshiro through the glass, but the sound couldn’t penetrate. Kaneshiro found that odd, shouldn’t they know that it was soundproof? He gestured that he couldn’t hear them. The officers pointed to Kaneshiro, then placed their hands over their ears. Understanding the message, he complied and covered his ears.

A small circular device was stuck onto the glass and the officers took cover and shielded their ears. Soon after, a high pitched ring became audible through the glass, even covering his ears, Kaneshiro was in pain. After a few moments, the high pitched noise was replaced by the sound of shattering glass. The prisoner looked up to see that the walls of his cell were now mere shards of glass on the floor.

With a sharp toothed yellow smile on his face, Kaneshiro stepped over the shards and towards the ‘officers.’ He knew that they had inside men on the force, but he never imagined they would be this useful.

“Welcome back big man.” One of the inside men greeted while handing him a change of clothes. “What’re your orders?”

Kaneshiro accepted the clothes and looked down at his underlings. After sitting in that damn cell for so long, he knew exactly what his next move was.

“Tell everyone on the streets, tonight we go to war. Every precinct in Tokyo is gonna burn.”


	32. Chapter 32

[47]

Mitsuru Kirijo examined the lab in front of her from atop a nearby building. Once upon a time it had belonged to the Kirijo group, Japan’s former most influential tech conglomerate. The company had since fallen to ruin after years of corporate sabotage and covert blackmail.

Now, the site before her belonged to Okumura Enterprises, the number two tech company in Japan, second only to the corporate titan that was Shido Sciences.

Mitsuru was here on a mission. She donned her black domino mask and stepped off the rooftop. This job would be easy compared to what she’d already gone through. Inside was a hard drive containing the schematics for an advanced device that’d been ‘acquisitioned’ from the Kirijo group upon its fall.

The lab was closed for the night so, aside from a few security guards, the place would be empty.

She scaled the side of the building with her grappling hook and came to a stop at a top floor window. Extending her fingers revealed the hidden claws in her gloves. She cut a perfect circle through the glass and carefully climbed through the hole. Softly placing the glass on the floor, she stepped into the head office overlooking the rest of the lab.

Looking out across the workfloor, she saw something very out of place. A crew of men stood in a large crowd on the workfloor surrounding a man in a lab coat lying on the floor. The men kicked the scientist in his ribs and shouted at him, what they were saying however, Mitsuru couldn’t hear.

‘Oh dammit.’ Against her better judgement, Mitsuru decided to get involved. She blamed it on that damn spider. Years ago she would have left those crooks to their devices, but after meeting Yu, she’d been shown the ropes of the hero life and even indulged in some crime fighting from time to time.

Mitsuru announced her presence by leaping through the office window and out onto the workfloor below. If Narukami could see her now, he’d be proud of how far she’d come from her original ways.

“Hey boys! Why don’t you leave the nerd alone.” 

The crooks stared in disbelief at the woman before them. Tall with long flowing maroon locks and pale flawless skin, garbed in a black catsuit that conformed to her athletic yet slender figure, she was truly a sight to behold.

“Holy shit! Forget that asshole. C’mere baby, we’ll show ya a real good time!” The criminals left the man on the floor and approached the seemingly unarmed woman. Unknown to them however, this cat had claws.

Mitsuru flexed her fingers and her retractable claws extended once more. The closest thug had his face slashed and fell to the ground in pain. She then leapt to the next closest one and broke his nose with her heel. 

Only 3 thugs remained, now seeing her as a threat, they pulled out their weapons. Two had lead pipes and one had a gun, child’s play to the experienced fighter. She used a combination of her gymnastics and judo training to take them down before the armed one could even fire off a shot. 

The cat burglar looked down at her injured victims, either unconscious or writhing in pain (Yu wouldn’t be too proud of that, but at least they weren’t dead. She then turned her attention to the scientist still on the ground.

He attempted to crawl away as he watched her approach, but she caught him easily. Slamming her heel down next to his head, she leaned in to meet the man’s gaze.

“What were those men looking for?” She questioned the frightened man.

“I-I don’t know! I don’t know!”

Mitsuru traced the edge of her claws across the man’s chin. “You saw what I did to them. If you don’t answer me, I’ll make that seem like a slap on the wrist.”

“P-Please, I don’t want to die!”

Of course Mitsuru had no intention of actually harming the innocent scientist. But since the opportunity for an even bigger score presented itself, she’d be a terrible thief if she ignored it. So, to make the man believe she’d actually hurt him, she swiped her claws next to his head.

“TELL ME!”

“Th-The basement! They wanted to get to the basement.” He stammered out.

“Basement?” This lab didn’t have a basement, at least not when it was owned by the Kirijo group. “Take me there.”

“But-” The man protested.

“NOW! BEFORE I EXECUTE YOU!”

The scientist pushed himself off the ground and onto his feet. He led her out of the workfloor and into a hall containing an elevator. When the two stepped into the elevator, he swiped his badge on a scanner.

“Basement.” He said aloud. 

The elevator chimed in response before humming to life and moving downward. And downward. And downward. What the hell? They were on the ground floor before. Just how deep down was this basement?

Finally, the elevator came to a stop and another chime sounded. “Basement.” Came an automated voice from the scanner.

The doors in front of Mitsuru opened to reveal an enormous underground room dwarfing the workfloor above. Blinking devices littered the walls alongside large tubing and wires that led all the way up the walls presumably to the floors above. But, what stood out most in the room was the centerpiece. 

Inside of a giant tube of thick glass, a glowing orange figure in a roughly humanoid shape thrashed violently against his containment. The creature had to be 15 feet tall, its shape was fluid and constantly changing as it moved. The figure opened its globby boneless mouth in a scream that couldn’t be heard through its glass prison.

Mitsuru stared in awe at the abomination before her. “What the hell is that thing?” She said quietly.

“Not what.” The scientist replied. “Who.”

Mitsuru turned to the man who watched the molten figure with a look of pity on his face. She pushed him forward out into the room.

“Explain.” Mitsuru demanded and flexed her claws again.

He turned to her, fear once again showing in his eyes as he remembered his situation.

The scientist cleared his throat before speaking. “That thing was a man...once. His name was Yohei Kiritani, but now we refer to him as project Molten Man.” The scientist once again turned to face the imprisoned creature.

There was a moment of silence before he continued. “Kiritani was a scientist here at Okumura Enterprises. We worked together on an experimental liquid metal alloy. One day, something went wrong. Kiritani was exposed to the alloy and it consumed him, turning him into that.” He pointed at the figure.

“Okumura wanted to cover it up, said it would tank our stocks. So we contained him as best as we could. Built this whole place to hold him.” He gestured to the entire room. “But it wasn’t enough to just cover up the mistake. Okumura wanted to use him to get an edge over the competition.”

The scientist walked over to a nearby control panel. Mitsuru watched curiously, yet cautiously as he pressed a series of buttons. Suddenly, a large hole above Molten Man’s container opened. A random assortment of objects fell into the creature’s tank and on to its body before the hole closed again. The trash melted into the creature’s body and his orange glow became visibly brighter. 

After completing the task, the scientist turned back to Mitsuru. “So now my friend is a battery for this goddamn company.”

“I don’t understand.” Mitsuru stated as she watched the last of the trash be consumed.

“After containing him, we soon found out that Kiritani’s body would consume itself over time. The only way to prevent this is by introducing new matter for him to absorb, the resulting reaction produces immense heat. Okumura Enterprises claims that they’ve found a way to recycle waste into sustainable energy, it’s what’s gotten us to our number 2 spot as a tech company. But, in reality, we’re just feeding trash to a monster we have locked in our basement.”

“My god!” When Mitsuru broke into the lab tonight, this had been the last thing she was expecting to find.

The scientist looked up at Mitsuru with pleading eyes and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I know I have no right to ask this, but please…”

“Help me end his suffering.”


	33. Chapter 33

[48]

A guard stood outside Kaoru Iwai’s room, unbeknownst to him, he was the last conscious guard in the building. Also unbeknownst to him, a costumed hero was stuck to the ceiling 2 feet above him and was about to knock him out as well.

Ren dropped from the ceiling above, hitting the guard with just enough force to incapacitate him, something Ren had practiced out of fear of killing someone with his enhanced strength.

With the final guard down, Ren entered the hotel room to find a young boy sitting on the bed watching TV. Having heard the door open, the boy turned to Ren.

The vigilante awkwardly stood in the doorway. “Umm, hi. Are you Kaoru? I’m-”

“Spider-Man!” The boy jumped off the bed and ran up to the masked hero.

“Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you. I’m here to bring you back to your dad.”

The boy’s excitement turned to disappointment at the mention of his father. “Pfft, yeah right. My dad doesn’t want me around. If he did, I’d have seen him at least once in the past few years.”

Ren was startled. Did the boy not understand his predicament? That he was a hostage for the most dangerous gang in Tokyo?

The hero got down on one knee to be face to face with him. “Listen Kaoru, your dad asked me personally to find you. He cares about you more than you will ever know. And right now, he’s risking his life to save you.”

The boy looked confused. “How? Did he come here to rescue me?”

“Well no, but that’s because he’s doing a top secret, more dangerous job. He’s deep behind enemy lines, fighting in the shadows to help everyone he can. But more than anything, he wants you to be safe. And that’s why he sent me here, since I’m the best in the business!”

“Cool!”

“Alright, now how about we get outta here and go find your dad?”

“Okay.”

Spider-Man allowed the boy to climb onto his back and hurriedly carried him out of the hotel.

Meanwhile, across the city, Kaneshiro stood in front of the Shinjuku police department, a handful of officers outside the station already had their weapons trained on him. A small army of thugs armed with the Tinkerer’s weapons stood behind Kaneshiro, ready to cause chaos across all the streets of Tokyo.

The superhuman enforcer grabbed a megaphone from one of his men, taking a confident stride forward before he spoke.

“Attention police pigs! This is your new boss speaking! As you may have heard, there’s gonna be an...exchange of power starting tonight! Come out and lay down your arms peacefully and we promise minimal casualties. You’ve got 5 minutes!”

With that, Kaneshiro tossed aside the megaphone and turned to one of his subordinates. “That was 5 minutes right?” The subordinate nodded with a rotten grin.

“ALRIGHT BOYS! OPEN FIRE!” 

Elsewhere, in an underground facility, Mitsuru Kirijo had just been informed of the origins of the monster in Okumura Enterprises’ basement.

“You want me to do what now?” She questioned.

“Please,” He held out a hand and dropped a key into her palm. “I need another person to activate the purge protocol. I was on my way to attempt this by myself when those men attacked me. I can only guess that they were trying to release him to use him for their own ends.”

Mitsuru considered the situation, if Okumura Enterprises were to lose their prized energy source, it would deal a major blow to their bottom line. As a major reason that the Kirijo group went under, Okumura Enterprises was near the top of Mitsuru’s list of targets.

“Okay. How do we do this?”

The doctor was visibly relieved. “Just enter your key into the slot on that console,” He pointed to a nearby desk. “And turn the key on my mark.”

Both of them got into position, Mitsuru looked up at the molten monster contained in the large tube. “Sorry about this big guy.”

“Now!”

The two turned their keys simultaneously and a red light began flashing overhead.

“Purge protocol initiated. Subject termination in progress.” An artificial female voice sounded throughout the facility.

Mitsuru watched the container expectantly, only to see nothing happen. “What’s going to happen?” She turned to the scientist.

“It’s already happening.” The scientist responded, not taking his eyes off the container. “As we speak, all of the air in the container is being sucked out and the temperature is being lowered rapidly. Molten Man can’t burn in a vacuum.”

As the scientist finished speaking, as if on cue, the creature began to thrash wildly, knowing that its end was approaching. The ends of its extremities began to solidify into volcanic glass. It then began beating on its containment with the hardened appendages to no effect, the glass was simply too thick to break.

Turning its attention elsewhere, the creature began beating on the ceiling above it, attempting to break through the metal ceiling instead. To both Mitsuru and the scientist’s surprise, it succeeded. Part of the metal ceiling above it caved in, and even though the gap was tiny, it was enough for the monster to send a small part of itself through the tube and escape, leaving the rest of its body behind to harden into glass.

“Oh god! Nonononono this is bad! This is really bad!” The scientist fell into a panic.

Mitsuru grabbed the man and tried to bring him to his senses. “What just happened? Where does that tube go?”

“I-It goes straight up to an on-site garbage dump! He’ll have direct access to the outside, not to mention plenty of material to regain his mass along the way! OhgodwhathaveIdone!?” The man began to panic once more.

“What can we do to stop it!?” Mitsuru asked desperately.

The scientist however, didn’t seem to hear her, only mumbling to himself with his head in his hands.

“HEY!” She grabbed him by the collar. “How do we stop it!”

The scientist’s mumbling fit ceased as he looked up at her, his expression dead and his eyes wide.

“You can’t.”

[49]

Detective Naoto Shirogane leaned against a wall, using it for cover against the storm of lasers and shockwaves that bombarded the police station. The army of criminals outside were using weapons that Naoto didn’t even think possible, technology that seemed to be lightyears ahead of modern science and far outclassed the police’s own weapons.

Naoto peaked from behind her cover and fired off several rounds from her revolver before ducking once more behind safety. Luckily, the detective was ambidextrous, so she was able to wield her firearm with her left hand while her right was still in a sling. This however, did make reloading nearly impossible.

The situation was terrible and, according to the reports she was getting on her radio, it was just as bad at every other police station in the city. If things continued on like this, by tomorrow morning the gangs would own the city.

“Ren where the hell are you!?” Naoto thought out loud as she tried contacting him for the third time in the past 10 minutes. If this damn teenager was ignoring her calls over their petty argument the other day, superpowers or not, she would kick his ass.

Suddenly, the wall next to Naoto was destroyed, when the dust cleared, a man with what looked to be a glowing purple club in his hand and a hockey mask over his face stood atop the rubble. Raising his bat at Naoto, he shouted a proclamation.

“I’m the-” He was cut off by a gunshot to the chest. 

“Don’t care.” Naoto said, lowering her smoking revolver.

On the other side of the battle, Kaneshiro strode slowly and confidently to the police station. Any bullets that made contact with him bounced off harmlessly. He smiled at the police’s helplessness.

As the battle for control of the city continued, he couldn’t help but wonder why Kingpin had never done this. Maybe the old boss was too careful for his own good. And maybe it was time that he stepped up as the new leader of Tokyo’s underworld.

His thoughts were interrupted as his head was rocked from the side, leaving his right ear ringing. Kaneshiro turned to the source and saw an officer aiming a shotgun at his head. Realizing his mistake, the officer dropped his weapon in a sign of surrender. Kaneshiro smiled his rotten teeth before lifting the man by the throat and breaking his neck with one hand.

Honestly, Kaneshiro was surprised by the fight the police were putting up, it was in vain of course but still commendable. Though, he supposed, trained officers of the law would naturally be more skilled than crooks off the street wielding untested and highly dangerous weapons.

Nevertheless, his army was advancing and the police were losing ground as their sheer force overwhelmed them. The criminals were about to break through the police’s line when a booming inhuman roar sounded over the chaos.

The battle slowly came to a halt as both sides turned to the source of the noise. An orange glow lit up the nearby buildings and everyone suddenly felt a wave of heat blast through the cold night air.

Suddenly, a glowing orange glob in roughly the shape of a hand grabbed the side of a brick wall. Shortly following that, the beast it was connected to stepped into view, shocking everyone who saw it.

Standing over 20 feet tall, the creature seemed entirely composed of liquid magma and radiated intense heat all around it, setting fires with each step it took. Its form was fluid, constantly shifting as it moved and it dripped parts of itself onto the street below constantly. The street echoed with the sound of its feet slamming against the asphalt beneath it.

Staring up at the creature, Kaneshiro felt fear for the first time in years. 

“What. The fuck. Is that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're approaching the end of the arc now. Hopefully the multiple storylines going on haven't ruined the pacing for you guys. I'm trying to make this sort of a grand finale to Act 1 of the story. Let me know what you guys think, I haven't gotten any comments on the past 2 chapters, so I can only hope that this is being well received. Expect more soon and I hope you enjoy what's coming.


	34. Chapter 34

[50]

“What the fuck is that?” Ren said as he stared at the molten creature from a rooftop overlooking the street.

“Hey! Spider-Man doesn’t curse!” Kaoru, the boy Ren had just rescued said, disappointed.

“Sorry!” Ren apologized to the boy before taking a knee in front of him. “Look Kaoru, I’m gonna have to go deal with the scary lava guy...and also the gang war. Then we can get you to your dad. So I’m gonna need you to stay here where it's safe, alright?”

“That won’t be necessary.” A female voice called from behind.

Ren stood in front of Kaoru defensively, prepared for another foe. He was surprised by the sight of a very attractive redhead with a tight black suit and domino mask. Clinging to her back as she swung in on a grappling hook was a terrified man in a lab coat.

“Uhh, um hi I’m R-uh, Spider-Man.” Ren was embarrassed at how flustered he was. “Wait a minute, you’re the Black Cat!”

“Yeah, and you’re the guy dressing up as my ex. Now that pointless introductions are over let’s get to business. We need to stop the lava monster and the thugs with tech, we’re going to need to split up. I suggest we trade passengers.”

“Wait wait wait. We just met, I don’t know if I exactly trust you with-”

He was interrupted by Kaoru, “I’ll go with the sexy cat lady!”

Ren turned to the boy, eyes wide behind his mask. “Dude.”

Kaoru ran over to the woman and the man in the lab coat walked over to Ren, seemingly very nervous.

With the boy at her side, Mitsuru spoke again. “Alright, here’s the plan.”

Naoto watched as the flaming creature walked through the makeshift battlefield. A group of criminals in its way panicked, firing their weapons into the beast. Seeming more annoyed than anything, the creature swung its arm, engulfing the men and melting them instantly.

Both sides backed away in fear, avoiding the monster as best as they could. To their surprise, it ignored them, opting to continue on its path instead.

Naoto was intrigued by the creature’s lack of interest in them, taking the time to ponder where it could be going.

“Ren since you’re not here, you’d better be dealing with that.” She said to herself right before the fighting started up again. Apparently, a terrifying lava monster wasn’t enough to end the fight, with it walking off now, there was no reason for the ceasefire to continue.

Naoto stepped back out onto the battlefield prepared for combat, only to see a tall red haired woman battling the goons.

“Oh fuck, her again.” Naoto was very familiar with Mitsuru Kirijo, Yu’s on-again off-again girlfriend when he and Rise had their rough patches. Luckily it looked like she was on their side this time. As Mitsuru ducked behind a squad car, the detective rushed over to join her.

“Mind explaining what you’re doing here?” Naoto shouted over the gunshots.

“Shirogane! Good, I need the PA system now!”

Naoto gave her a questioning look, normally Mitsuru was the last one to announce her presence. However, she decided to trust the former criminal and pointed her in the right direction.

“It’s in the station! Why!?”

Mitsuru was already sprinting into the building. “I have an announcement to make!” She called back as she entered. “Take care of the kid!”

“Kid!?”

“Hello.” Came a small voice from under the car.

Naoto gasped in surprise as a small boy crawled out from under the police vehicle. “What are you doing here!? Who are you!?”

“My name’s Kaoru. I’m trying to get back to my dad.”

The detective's eyes widened. “Kaoru Iwai!?” Before she could gather her thoughts, the car they were hiding behind was sent flying.

“Hi there.” A thug wearing a pair of large glowing gauntlets stood over the two of them.

“Shit! Kaoru, behind me!” Naoto raised her gun at the assailant, only to have the barrel crushed in his hand.

Thinking quickly, she kicked the man in the gut. While he was keeled over in pain, Naoto attempted to flee with the boy, only to be grabbed by her shirt collar and dragged back.

“Nice try you little bitch!” The thug held her off the ground with one hand, the other, a clenched fist threatening her face.

“Kaoru! Run!” Naoto shouted.

Before the man could strike, a voice sounded over the PA system. “Munehisa! Kaoru is safe! KAORU IS SAFE!”

‘She made it.’ Naoto felt some sense of relief.

There was a long pause, no one on the battlefield was sure what the announcement meant. Suddenly, Naoto watched as the thug’s gauntlets lost their glow and slowly fell apart, releasing her.

All across the streets, the thugs’ weaponry became useless, falling apart into scrap. It seemed like the message got through. Munehisa had enacted his failsafe and the criminals were now defenseless.

Upon being freed, Naoto used her good hand to plant a punch directly into the thug’s face. The criminal fell to the ground unconscious. She looked around to see the officers moving in to arrest the unarmed criminals.

The battle now over, Naoto took a seat on the ground. She looked over in the direction the molten monster had gone in, now completely out of sight.

“Go get’em Ren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally back. Sorry about the extended break, I've been busy with stuff. I also started working on another story, check it out. As of posting this there's only one chapter, but basically it's My Hero Academia but using Marvel and DC characters instead of the UA students. It'll be more based on the comics than the MCU and DCEU which could be a refreshing change of pace for a lot of you. If that sounds interesting go check it out on my works. Until next time! (Don't expect another long wait for a while.)


	35. Chapter 35

[51]

“Molten Man can’t absorb stone! If you hit him with that, you should be able to reduce his mass! Any parts separated from the main body cease to function!” The scientist on Ren’s back shouted over the wind.

The two of them swung through Tokyo trying to catch the beast who took immensely large steps. They were mere meters behind the behemoth and could feel the intense heat he emitted.

“That’s great!” Replied Ren, “But do you think *cough* you could hold on somewhere *cough* besides my neck?”

“Sorry!”

Ren found it strange that ‘Molten Man’ seemed to ignore the fight on the street. From the way it moved, it seemed like it had a destination in mind.

“Where’s this thing heading?” Ren questioned the man.

“Good question! In all of our experiments he seemed to favor metallic compounds over anything else, so he’s likely headed towards the largest source of metal in the...Oh god.’[

“What? Where’s he going?” Ren looked up and saw his answer. The largest source of metal he could find. The Tokyo Skytree. “Are you friggin kidding me!? He’s gonna eat the Skytree!?”

“Not eat. Absorb. And when he does, he’ll be unstoppable.” The two of them looked forward and saw the Skytree a mile away, they didn’t have long before Molten Man reached it.

“Noted. Alright, I’ve got an idea!” He landed on the street, setting the scientist down. “Stay here.”

Ren leapt off the ground and quickly swung ahead of the creature. When he reached a suitable height, he released his web and plummeted to the ground, punching the ground with all his strength.

“Ahh!” Ren held his fist in pain. It wasn’t broken, but it sure hurt. Luckily, Ren had succeeded in his goal, the concrete beneath him had a large crack in it. Enacting the second part of his plan, Ren shot a half dozen weblines into a large chunk and pulled hard.

Ren tore the chunk out of the ground, it was roughly the size of his body and no doubt weighed a ton. He began to spin on his heels and swung the concrete around with him. When he reached a high enough speed, he released the concrete like an Olympic hammer throw.

The chunk soared directly at the creature, striking him in the shoulder and separating his left arm from the rest of him. The arm fell to the ground, losing its shape and becoming a glowing puddle on the street. The beast looked at its missing limb before releasing a screeching roar and swiping its remaining arm at Ren, large globs of lava flew at Ren. 

The masked vigilante was forced to duck and weave past the projectiles, lest he be burned alive. Turning his gaze back to the monster, Ren watched as its arm grew back out of its torso.

“Are you serious!?” Ren cried, unable to believe the monster’s capabilities. However when he looked closer, he noticed that the creature’s size had notably shrunk.

‘Okay, so that did do something. So if I keep this up…’

Ren picked up another chunk of concrete, this one larger than the first, and held it above his head. While doing this, he couldn’t help but recall his first time using his new strength. Back during the Shibuya attack, Ren had struggled to pick up a concrete pillar half this size. He’d come a long way since then.

Now having passed by Ren, the monster was some distance away from him. Using his immense strength, he threw the chunk at the back of Molten Man’s leg, causing it to separate. The monster was unable to balance on its remaining limb and collapsed to the ground. Now the creature’s only focus was its ultimate goal, the Skytree, it dragged itself across the ground toward the tower.

Ren collapsed to the ground, having spent so much energy throwing boulders, he wasn’t sure how much more he could manage. Glancing to his left, he saw the scientist had caught up to him.

“What are you doing!? He’s nearly there!”

Ren pulled up the bottom half of his mask. “I *huff* I’m trying! At this rate *huff* I can’t stop him!”

The scientist looked up at the street before them. “Alright, I have an idea. See that building up there?” He pointed to what looked like a small 4 story apartment complex a few blocks ahead of the creature.

“Yeah? What about it?”

“Drop it on him.”

“What!? That’s crazy, people live there! Even if they didn’t, there’s no way I have the strength for that.”

“We can evacuate the building before we bring it down. Look, if we don’t do this, thousands will die.”

Ren paused for a moment, then realized the longer he waited, the less time there’d be to evacuate.

“Okay, let’s go.”

The two of them got ahead of the creature, Ren struggling to even carry the man on his back. When they arrived at the building, Ren turned to the man.

“How do we get them all out in time?”

The scientist simply turned to the fire alarm and pulled the switch. The blaring alarm hurt Ren’s sensitive ears to the point he had to cover them. The two watched as all of the residents left their rooms in a hurry.

The scientist looked at Ren. “I’ll make sure everyone gets out. You get into position to bring it down.”

Ren nodded and ran out the door. As he ran to the other side of the street, he could feel the heat coming off the creature. If he was going to do this, it needed to be fast. He didn’t know how, but he had to find the strength to do this. The masked hero fired over a dozen weblines into the side of the building, spread out across a large area to ensure it came down properly.

He looked across the street and saw the scientist giving him the thumbs up. The residents who had evacuated had fled in fear of the approaching monster.

Ren began pulling with all of his remaining strength, his costume’s padded feet giving him some traction on the concrete. No matter how hard he pulled, the building wouldn’t budge an inch. Molten Man’s head was now in the building's shadow, it was now or never.

‘C’mon Ren, remember what’s at stake. If you fail here, Tokyo is done for. Think of everyone who’s counting on you.’ Various images flashed through Ren’s mind, the people he’d met since coming here. His friends, the people he’d come to need in his life: Sojiro, Ryuji, Ann, Futaba, Makoto, Maruki, Takemi.. He had to do this, for them. Even if it killed him.

“aaUGGH!” Bits of Ren’s suit began to tear around his biceps and chest.

The brick and mortar of the building cracked under the pressure. The wall Ren pulled came free of the building and fell to the street like a giant domino. At that exact moment, the monster was completely beneath the wall as it collapsed. Ren fell backwards, barely able to breath; he was so exhausted.

As a cloud of dust obscured the street, the scientist walked atop the debris. He was searching for any trace of the monster, not one drop could be spared. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a glowing orb. Moving towards it, he saw a small bit of the creature left, no bigger than his hand. It pushed itself forward like a slug on the sidewalk.

The scientist picked up a large stone in the wreckage, holding it above his head.

“I’m sorry Kiritani.” He dropped the stone onto the final piece. 

“Now you can rest in peace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nearing the end now, only one or two chapters left for this arc. What do you think is coming next? Let me know in the comments.


	36. Chapter 36

[52]

Kaneshiro held a woman by the throat in each hand. In one, the elusive and mysterious Black Cat, in the other, the famous detective Naoto Shirogane. They struggled against his vice grip on them as they dangled in the air, barely able to breath.

“Y’know, it’s too bad you both are such a damn thorn in my side. I would’ve loved to have some beautiful playthings like you two around.”

Among the criminal forces, only Tombstone remained standing as the rest had either fled or been captured. Now stuck in a standoff, the remaining police officers all had their guns trained on the pale giant of a man. Bullets wouldn’t harm his impenetrable skin and it would be too risky to the hostages to attempt any other methods of bringing him down.

With time quickly running out for the two women, the officers were unsure of what action to take in this situation.

“Alright listen up! Here’s what’s gonna happen!” Kaneshiro yelled out to the other officers, “I’m gonna walk right outta here with these two. If anyone so much as coughs in my direction, I’ll break their necks like a twig! Got it?”

No response came from the police, only a tense silence as they each waited for someone to intervene.

“Alright then.” Kaneshiro smiled with his disgusting teeth.

Suddenly, the smile on his face was replaced by a look of confusion. His eyes became wide as he struggled to breath himself. Releasing Naoto from his grip, the detective gasping for air on the ground, Tombstone grabbed at his own throat. When he reached his neck, he hit an unseen object in the way.

Upon being touched, Ren’s invisibility faded revealing his arms wrapped around Kaneshiro’s thick neck in a chokehold.

“Hey there big guy, the sun’s gettin’ real low.” Ren quipped before his arm was grabbed and he was thrown onto the street below.

Tombstone tossed Black Cat aside, cracking his knuckles as he stalked toward Ren. “Looks like new Spider-Man’s got some new tricks. Won’t matter though, I’m gonna break you in half.”

Ren groaned as he lay in the him-shaped hole in the street. “*cough* Could you hold on a sec? I thought I felt my phone buzz. Nope wait, just my bones.”

Now that he had no hostages, the police opened fire on the large criminal. This only served to annoy him while he approached Ren. Upon grabbing him by the neck, the gunfire was halted once more.

As Ren was held by the throat, he decided to try his other new trick. He grabbed Tombstone by the forearm with both hands and unleashed his venom blast. The area of contact glowed blue as electricity arced around Ren’s hands.

“Huh, kinda tickled.” Tombstone chuckled at the feeble display.

Before he could break Ren’s neck, a gloved hand reached around Kaneshiro’s head and dragged 4 clawed fingers across his face.

“AHH! SONUVABITCH!” He cried releasing Ren and holding his hands to his face. He stumbled backwards in pain.

As Ren stood up coughing, he felt someone grab his arm. Looking over he saw Naoto assisting him up while Black Cat stood nearby, her claws bloody. Tombstone was hunched over in pain still clutching at his face.

“YOU FUCKING BITCH! I CAN’T SEE!” The large criminal cried as he thrashed around. When he looked up, Ren saw the bloody mess that was his eyes. Evidently not all of him was invincible.

Seeing their chance, the police fired tear gas canisters at the criminal, delivering the finishing blow. Kaneshiro screamed in pain as the gas entered his destroyed eyes, wildly punching air until the pain became too much and he fell to the ground unconscious.

“Ohthankgod.” Ren said to himself as he watched the man go down, the police moving in to arrest him.

“Hey, you should probably get out of here.” Naoto whispered to him.

When Ren looked over, he saw that the Black Cat had already disappeared. “Right.” He began hobbling away while everyone was distracted. He was unable to swing away as he’d used the last of his webs to get here.

As Ren stumbled away from the battlefield, he noticed two figures out of the corner of his eye. It was Munehisa and Kaoru, the father embracing his son, glad to finally have him back. Munehisa looked up and saw Ren, he gave him a warm smile and waved at the hero mouthing a ‘thank you.’ Ren waved back to the father and son before disappearing into an alley.

As he leaned against a dumpster, peeling the torn up costume off of him, it finally hit the hero just how tired he was. It’d been a long night for him, saving a kidnapped child, stopping a molten monster, and just now helping in defeating a superpowered crime boss.

“What a night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes the Kaneshiro Arc, hope you guys liked this one. What do you think is coming next? I already have it planned, but I'm curious as to what you guys think. I love to hear speculation because that, to me, shows a committed fanbase. Thank you all so much for your kind words regarding my story, it brings me so much pleasure to know that you all like it. Now, with over 100 kudos and plenty of kind comments, I think I can officially say I'm glad I decided to write this.


	37. Chapter 37

[53]

“Uuugh.” Ren laid his head on the table of the student council room. It’d been 2 days since he stopped Tombstone and his gang and the vigilante was still recovering from his injuries.

“Aaand that should conclude our session today.” The student council president tapped her papers on the table. “Look I know you’re tired Ren, but we can’t let your grades drop any further than they already have. Your ‘extracurricular activities’ have been keeping you from studying so you need all the help you can get.”

“Buuut Makotoooo, there’s criiiiime.” Ren spoke without lifting his head.

The third year girl looked down at her exhausted junior and a small smile graced her lips. She had to admit, Ren was a pretty cute guy. His hair, despite being the unkempt mess it always, looked incredibly fluffy and she had to resist her urge to touch it.

“Oh, I almost forgot! Have you gotten all your paperwork done for the class trip? It’s due tomorrow.”

“The what now?” Ren raised his head.

Makoto scoffed, “Really? You know, the class trip to Hawaii? The second years do it every year.”

“Hey gimme a break! I only just got here this year! Not to mention I’ve been busy with other stuff.”

The girl rolled her eyes before reaching into her bag and pulling out the necessary forms. “Get Sojiro to sign off on these and you’ll be able to go.” She sighed and looked out the window. “The trip is gonna be a lot smaller this year. As it turns out, not many parents are too keen on sending their children out of the country with the same school who had a psychotic teacher kill the principal and attack the school.”

“Yeah...Hey do we seriously still not have a principal? Like, who’s in charge of the school right now?”

“The faculty are managing the school’s affairs while the school board is searching for someone to take over the position. In fact, it’s because of that third year students are being requested to supervise the Hawaii trip.”

“For real? Were you asked?”

Makoto’s expression turned a bit somber. “I was, but I’m staying here. I have to be here in case my dad wakes up.”

“Makoto…” Ren remembered the state her father was in, comatose at the local hospital after an encounter with Tombstone. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. Because of you, the bastard who did that to him is in jail.”

Ren was surprised by her sudden change in tone, once again being determined and upbeat. The two of them exited the student council room and walked through the halls, now empty as classes had ended for the day.

“By the way, the girl who’s going in my place for the trip is pretty nice. I don’t know her too well, but I’ve heard good things from others. Her name is Haru Okumura.”

“Wait, Okumura as in Okumura Enterprises?” Ren questioned.

“Yeah her dad is the CEO. I’m surprised she’s not more popular around the school considering she’s filthy rich.”

“Yeah well, so’s Morgana, but no one really likes him. Speaking of, I can’t imagine he’s too excited about his ‘Lady Ann’ going out of the country.”

Elsewhere, a young blue haired boy sobs while clinging to the leg of a blonde girl.

“Pleeease Lady Ann. Don’t go! I beg you! Please don’t leave me Lady Ann!”

“Let go of me Mona! Please! This is humiliating! I’m going on the trip and you can’t stop me.”

Morgana only cried harder. “Laaady Aaaaann”

Finally arriving at Leblanc, Ann dragged Morgana with her into the cafe. Yusuke was behind the counter being chewed out by Sojiro for wasting coffee beans while Futaba sat at the booth on her laptop with headphones on.

“Hey guys,” Ann kicked Morgana to remove him from her leg. “Ren’s not back yet?”

Sojiro turned away from Yusuke to welcome her. “No, he’s still at school. He texted me that he was staying after with Ms. Student Council President. Looks like they're ‘studying’ together more often now.” He chuckled and looked off wistfully. “Ah, to be young again. When I was his age, hoo boy.”

“That’s not what they’re doing! Ren’s not like that!” Ann’s cheeks became flushed and she covered her mouth.

Sojiro raised an eyebrow at the girl before chuckling again. “Huh, maybe I’ve rubbed off on the kid more than I thought.”

Morgana and Ann, both pouting, sat down at the counter before being passed a cup of coffee by Sojiro. “It’s on the house.” He said.

Ann took a sip and turned her attention to the TV. The news was on and by the looks of things, they were discussing the gang war from the other night. A portly balding man (with a mustache not too dissimilar from a certain German historical figure) was being interviewed and yelling loudly about his hatred of Spider-Man.

“He’s a menace I tell you! A number of reports came in from that night regarding property damage committed by Spider-Man. Why? Because he’s a reckless, foolish, horrible…” He seemed to pause to think of a word. “MENACE! The people of Tokyo just aren’t safe with him around! I mean, he tore down a building for god’s sake!”

The news anchor chimed in to correct him. “Actually, it says in those reports that he only tore down a wall of the apartment complex, not the entire building. And those reports also state that he used said wall to stop a ‘rampaging lava monster.’”

The portly man scoffed. “And you believed that? People will say whatever they need to justify his actions when the simple reality is that he’s a, say it with me folks, MENACE! Mark my words, Spider-Man will be the end of this city.”

The anchor seemed uncomfortable with her guest’s furious energy and decided to end the broadcast there. “Well you heard it here first folks, this is Channel 9 News, I’m-”

She was interrupted by her guest before she could finish. “If you want the truth, listen to my podcast! Just the Facts with Toranosuke Yoshida!” The man yelled into his microphone while pointing straight at the camera.

The report cut out there and Ann turned back to her coffee. “Wow, I guess some people really hate Re-uh Spider-Man.” She remembered Sojiro was in the room.

“Tell me about it,” Futaba chimed in without looking up from her laptop. “I’m already memeing it.”

“What the hell is memeing?” Sojiro asked Ann. “She talks about it constantly and I have no idea what it means. Is it code? Should I be concerned?”

Suddenly the cafe bell chimed and everyone turned their heads to the door.

“Whassup dudes and dudettes?”

“Oh,” Futaba turned back to her laptop. “It’s just Ryuji.”

Ryuji looked hurt by that. “What? Just cuz I’m not Ren no one cares? Y’know Ren’s not the only one with stuff goin’ on.” He smiled as he took a seat at the counter. “So get this, I was just at the Triple 7 when the craziest thing happened-”

His story was interrupted by the bell chiming once more.

“Ren!” The teenagers called out excited to see their friend.

“Hey guys, did I miss anything?” Ren asked as he entered the cafe.

“Nope, nothing.” Futaba said as she hugged him. Ann looked at the two with a scowl.

“Oh hey Sojiro.” Ren set a stack of papers on the counter. “Could you sign off on these so I can go on a class trip to Hawaii?”

“Kids these days. Do they even teach you anything in school anymore?”

“Excuse me!” Ryuji interrupted, everyone turned to the angry blond. “I was about to tell a really cool story!”

“Sorry Ryuji, go ahead.” Ren apologized.

“Promise I won’t be interrupted this time?”

“I promise. No one will interrupt your story.”

“Okay, so get this-”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next arc will be the Hawaii trip! Expect less physical conflict and more character interactions for this arc. I tried taking a more comedic approach with this chapter because this is how I imagine casual conversations go with this group. Hope you guys enjoy this next arc and expect some setup for the future arcs. I noticed some people speculating in the comments as to what will go down soon. Some of it is correct, while a few are not. I'll just leave it at that. The Hawaii trip in this story won't be including Yusuke or Makoto as the former isn't a student in this story and the latter is busy with family issues. I was looking over my chapters and I've noticed that they've been getting shorter so I'll work on making ones that stretch above a thousand words while not writing anything pointless.


	38. Chapter 38

[54]

“So you’re sure it’s okay for me to go? Because I’ll stay if you need me to.” Ren held his phone with his shoulder while packing his bag.

The voice on the other end laughed. “Ren it’s fine. Believe it or not, Tokyo can survive a week without you. Besides, after the past month and a half, I’d say you more than earned a break.” Naoto assured him.

The teenage boy smiled. “Thanks Naoto, I promise when I get back I’ll stop twice as many villains.”

They ended their conversation there as Ren finished packing. Now only one thing was left before he could go on his trip tonight.

“Cutting it a little close there with your physical don’t you think?” Takemi asked as Ren sat in her clinic.

“Hey! I only learned about the trip yesterday!” Ren protested as Takemi shined a light in his ear canal. “Plus, they said as long as I turn in the form before we leave I’m good to go.”

“Still, you shouldn’t only be focused on your Spider-Man business.” Takemi placed a tongue depressor in his mouth. “Who knows? You could be ignoring something that’s right in front of you…” Her brown eyes stared directly into Ren’s grey ones.

“Takemi…” Ren’s cheeks burned bright red.

“Oh hey,” She pulled away and turned to her computer. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to show you.” She finished typing and went into her office.

When she returned, Takemi was holding a small vial of bright pink liquid. “Check this out.”

Ren examined the pink fluid, unsure of what he was looking at. “Uhh, what is it exactly?”

“From the samples of blood I took a while ago, I was able to extract the unique genes that give you your abilities. Theoretically, if someone were to inject this, they would gain your abilities.”

Ren felt a bit unsettled by that. “Uh Doc, I’m not so sure I’m comfortable with-”

“Oh relax.” Takemi assured him. “I don’t intend on making an army of evil spider-people. Besides, I couldn’t if I wanted to. This one vial is all I could make, these days your blood now is too mutated to get a viable sample from.”

Ren relaxed somewhat, but was still curious. “So then, what are you planning to do with it?”

Takemi held the vial up to the light. “I intend to isolate the genome responsible for your advanced healing and use it to create a new medicine that could greatly speed up the normal healing process.”

“Wow Doc, that’s like Nobel Prize level stuff. You seriously think you could do that?”

Takemi mocked offense to that question. “I know I don’t look it, but I’m a damn good doctor.”

The pair shared a laugh before the printer on the doctor’s desk whirred to life. Several papers ejected from it which Takemi stapled together before handing it to Ren.

“There you go. I guess I’ll see you when you get back.”

Ren smiled as he accepted the papers. “Thanks Doc, for everything. I mean it, I’d be dead 10 times over if it weren’t for you.”

Takemi smirked at his earnesty. “Damn right. Now get outta here, go have fun with your friends.”

Later that night, Ren arrived at the airport. Dragging his suitcase behind him, he searched for his class among the crowd.

Finally spotting two familiar heads of blonde hair, he rushed over to his friends. Ren was surprised to find how small the group attending this trip was, less than a dozen students were waiting at the gate.

“There you are dude! We were afraid you wouldn’t show!” Ryuji welcomed his best friend.

“Yeah sorry, I had to finish some business before coming here.” He looked around at the small group of students around them. “Is this seriously everyone?”

“Yep, makes you wonder why we even need a third-year here to supervise us. Ain’t Kawakami enough?”

Upon hearing her name, Ms. Kawakami appeared nearby and approached Ren. “Amamiya good, everyone’s here. Do you have those papers?”

“Right here ma’am.” He handed the teacher the physical he’d just received.

“Attention all passengers, Flight 204 is now boarding.” A voice called over the intercom.

As the group boarded the plane, Ryuji and Ren took their seats, Ren next to the aisle and Ryuji the window with a seat between them. Ann separated to go sit with another girl. As the two boys were settling into their seats, another boy with blue hair slid into the seat between them.

“Hey guys! Looks like the Troublesome Trio is going to Hawaii.” Yuuki Mishima said excitedly.

“Uh, Troublesome Trio?” Ren raised an eyebrow at the boy.

Mishima awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “Well yeah, it’s what I call the 3 of us. Y’know, ‘cuz we’re always getting into trouble together?” The other two boys gave him a bewildered look wondering when that’d ever happened. “I uh, I designed T-shirts with a logo and everything. Iwroteaboutitinmydiary.” He said the last part very quietly.

Ryuji turned to Ren with a creeped out look, Ren only shrugged in response. As Mishima buckled himself into his seat, he pulled out what looked to be a fanny pack chock full of pharmaceuticals.

“Uh Mishima, whatcha got there?” Ryuji’s tone was slightly afraid.

Mishima turned to the blond and began to explain. “Oh well you see, I don’t do so well on flights.” He pulled some nasal spray from the pack. “The pressure is hell on my sinuses so I need to take this every 3 hours.” He fished another bottle from the pack. “Then I need to take 2 of these for my nausea, 1 of these for my anxiety…” He continued to list his various health needs to an uncomfortable Ryuji who regretted asking in the first place.

Ren stared at the people still boarding the plane. They hadn’t even taken off yet and it felt like he’d already been sitting here for hours. Ren tapped the stewardess as she passed by.

“Excuse me, how long is this flight?”

“Approximately 8 hours from Japan to Hawaii.” She replied with a smile before walking off.

“Ohdeargod.” Ren said to himself.

“...And I take these to help me sleep. Oh by the way, I have terrible sleep apnea. You may want to ask the stewardess for a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Also, if I grab you in my sleep, don’t push me away, it’ll cause me to flail uncontrollably. Aaand I think that’s everything.” Mishima finished with a smile.

“Greeeaaat.” Ryuji replied with a forced smile and pain in his eyes.

“Oh, I have my laptop in my carryon. I can show you guys the indie film project I’ve been working on. It’s about a group of phantom thieves, but they don’t steal money.” He paused for dramatic effect. “They steal hearts. But not like actual hearts, that would be gross. I’m thinking of calling it Love Bandits. I’ve actually got a lot done if you guys wanna help me workshop it.” Mishima bent down to grab his laptop from his bag.

As the boy was bent over, Ryuji turned to Ren and mouthed the words ‘Switch seats with me!’ To which Ren responded with a hard no. Ryuji put his hands together to plead ‘Please?’ Ren shook his head and turned to read a book he’d brought along.

“Here we go!” Mishima brought out the laptop and pulled up some editing software. 

“I give you, Love Bandits!”

[55]

Two hours into the flight and one very insightful look into his friend’s state of mind later, Ren sat with his head resting in his palm, bored out of his gourd.

Ryuji’s face was planted against the window as drool leaked onto the glass. He’d somehow managed to fall asleep with the world’s noisiest sleeper next to him. Mishima rested his head on Ryuji's shoulder while both arms tightly grasped the armrests with a deathgrip.

Ren peeled himself out of his seat and left to use the restroom, more out of a need to get away than anything. As he walked down the aisle, he noticed that nearly everyone on the plane was asleep, with the odd person on their phone here and there.

Reaching the bathroom, he noticed that the sign read ‘occupied’ so he waited his turn. Thinking he smelled something bad on the other side (No, not that.) He gently knocked on the door.

“Hey are you okay in there?” He asked quietly. “I smell smoke. Are you alright?”

All he got in response was a short coughing fit followed by the sound of the toilet flushing. The door slid open and Ren was surprised to see his homeroom teacher.

“Ms. Kawakami? Are you alright? I thought I smelled-mmm” He was stopped by a finger pressing to his lips.

“Ssssshhhhh!” She silenced him before losing her balance and catching herself on his chest. “People are sleeping!” She whispered as loudly as could still be considered a whisper.

Not removing her hands from his chest, the teacher instead gave Ren’s pecs a squeeze. She suddenly started giggling to herself. “Holy shit! You are solid! What kind of workouts do you do!?” She suddenly gasped as if realizing something. “Did you get this built in juvie? *gasp* Are you in a gang?”

As she gazed up at him, Ren noticed his teacher’s eyes in the reflection of the bathroom light “Oh my god.” Ren said quietly. “Are you high!?”

He was quickly shushed once more by Kawakami. “I’m also drunk, *hiccup* but don’t tell anyone. It’ll be our little secret. I’ll give you all A’s for the semester if you don’t tell anyone.” She bargained with the student.

“Wow.” Ren was shocked. “You are a really bad teacher.” She once again placed her finger on his mouth.

“Sssshhh! I’m a great teacher. And a great maid. *hiccup* Oh wait, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that. Not that I’d mind cleaning up your place. I bet you’ve got a nice clean room.” She ran her hands down Ren’s shirt. “Hey, do y-*hiccup* do you wanna join the mile high club?” She asked while trying to pose sexy but losing her balance again and falling into a fit of laughter.

Ren’s face became flushed and he looked away.

“Ooooh, looks like someone’s *hiccup* embarrassed. Hey, wanna know what the female professors nicknamed you?” The student picked up the teacher in a fireman's carry. “Oh wow, are we really doin’ this?”

Ren carried his homeroom teacher back to her seat and gently sat her down, buckling her into her seat carefully. She had an entire row to herself so luckily, Ren didn’t need to bother anyone. As he was about to head back to his seat, a hand grabbed his wrist.

“Wait.” It was Ms. Kawakami making a pouty face. 

“Stay with me?”

[Bonus]

Love Bandits: Act 3, Scene 12

“It’s no use!” Cougar cried. “Our attacks do nothing! We can’t stop the evil Shino from taking over Japan!” 

“He’s too damn strong!” Bones shouted. “None of us can match his power! If we’re gonna defeat him we need someone even stronger!”

“Stronger than him!? There’s no one!” Jokester responded.

“There is one.” A voice called out from behind the group. They turned to face the source.

“Nishima!?” The team was stunned.

A lone boy stood in the midst of the chaos, his fists clenched. A mask sat atop his face, he grabbed it and tore it away in one swift motion causing a burst of wind around him. Now adorned in a flowing black trenchcoat, he pulled a pistol from his side.

Shino stumbled back from the blast of air. “NO! THESE POWER LEVELS! IT CAN’T BE! THE CHOSEN ONE!?”

“You know it bitch.” Nishima pulled the trigger, unleashing a white laser that pierced the villain’s chest.

Now standing atop his fallen enemy’s body, Nishima was surrounded by the other bandits.

“Our hero!” They cried. Cougar, Duchess, Seer, and Nora embraced him tightly.

“Damn Nishima,” Jokester patted the boy on the shoulder. “All this time, I thought I was the badass. But it turns out, it was really you all along. How would you feel about leading the team?”

“Meow Meow! Nishima’s the coolest!” Merlin, the team mascot cheered.

“Thanks guys, but it was a team effort.”

Shino groaned beneath them. “Dammit, I would’ve gotten away with it too.” He coughed in pain.

“If it hadn’t been for that damn Nishima!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a really special chapter for you guys today, or tonight as it's 1am while I'm posting this. Another double feature! Just like back in the old days. (a month ago) I had a lot of fun writing this chapter so I just decided to keep it going. Also I know I'm going to get shit for making Mishima the annoying friend in this chapter, but go ahead and say what you will. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter altogether as this might be my favorite one that I've made so far. Until next time!


	39. Chapter 39

[56]

“Attention all passengers. We are now beginning our descent, please fasten your seatbelts and prepare to land.”

When the plane finally touched down in Honolulu, the Shujin Academy students loaded off the plane and onto a bus waiting to take them to their hotel.

Ms. Kawakami wore a pair of sunglasses and a large sun hat while she nursed her aching head. As she took her seat at the front of the bus she was surprised when the school’s famous delinquent took a seat next to her.

“Um, can I help you?” She asked, her tone annoyed.

The boy, without looking at her, cleared his throat and gestured down. When Kawakami turned her gaze down she noticed what he was discreetly passing her. It was a lacy white bra. Her bra.

“Oh god.” She quickly grabbed the bra from his hand. “How did you get that?” She whispered accusingly.

“You put it on my lap last night. Don’t worry, you didn’t take off your shirt. It was actually really impressive.”

The teacher rubbed her temples. “Goddammit, I thought I dreamt that. I don’t do well on flights so I...Wait why am I explaining this?” She poked a finger at his chest. “You are not to tell anyone about this. Got it?”

Ren smirked and raised his hands in surrender. “Yes ma’am.”

Kawakami turned to the window, hiding the fact that she was blushing from him.

A few seats back from them, Ann sat conversing with her new friend Hifumi. The two had bonded over the long flight and were getting to know one another better. Ann was happy to have another female friend after Shiho…

“So you get paid just to play shogi?” Ann asked the girl.

“Well, I also have to do photoshoots for magazines. Many people seem very interested in the idea of a woman playing professional shogi.” Hifumi explained.

“Oh no way! I do photoshoots all the time! I’m a part-time model. Maybe we even work with some of the same people!”

When the bus came to a stop, the students stood in front of the ‘hotel’ they’d booked. Now because the school trip was attended by so few students, there had been an executive decision by the school board to cut back on the trip’s budget. The board had assured the staff that although the accommodations they’d chosen weren’t quite as spacious as the previously selected hotel, it would be just as good. Unfortunately, the school board was full of lying greedy businessmen looking to cut costs wherever possible.

“Uhh, Teach?” Ryuji questioned. “Are you sure this is the right place?”

The group looked at the cheap motel in front of them. The paint on the outside walls was peeling off, the neon ‘open’ sign had 3 out of 4 letters burned out, and several windows were barricaded with wooden planks.

“Well let’s look on the bright side everyone!” Kawakami put on a fake smile. “We’re near the beach and supposedly there’s a hot spring nearby!”

“Umm Ms. Kawakami, I’m not seeing any WiFi here.” Mishima stared at his phone.

“Well, yes...Um, think of it as an incentive to get out and explore!”

“NOOOOOO!” Mishima cried.

Meanwhile, back in Tokyo, Futaba sat in her room fiddling with a device on her desk. She was caught off guard by her door suddenly opening and fell out of her desk chair.

“Futaba! Are you alright?” Yusuke asked in concern, running over to check on the girl.

“Inari! Ever heard of knocking!?” Futaba rubbed her head as she got up.

“My apologies, Sojiro said you were up here working on something. I wanted to see if I could offer my help.” He turned to her desk and spotted two silver objects sitting on the desk.

Futaba quickly covered them with her body and shooed away the older boy. “Nope. No help needed! Thanks for offering bye.”

“Futaba, are those Ren’s webshooters? The webshooters he specifically asked us not to touch while he was away?”

“Nope, no idea what you’re talking about.” The small girl feigned ignorance at the question.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms. “Futaba, I know I can be...distracted, but I’m not a moron.”

Futaba sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fiiiine. Yes, they are. I’m checking out the design so I can hopefully improve them.” She took a seat back in her chair and resumed her work. “Whoever designed these, they had a good idea but never seemed to improve on it. Imagine the possibilities! I could add so many cool new features if Ren let me. Sooo I’m using this opportunity to surprise him when he gets back!”

Yusuke’s eyes were wide with shock. “Futaba...I never expected you capable of such acts of altruism! Truly magnificent!”

“Yep that’s me! Futaba the altruist!” She smiled proudly. ‘It also might help my chances of finally getting noticed by that sexy dork.’ She thought to herself.

Yusuke leaned in to get a better look at the device. “So what are you working on now?”

“Right now I’m looking to improve the ammo capacity of the web cartridges.” She messed around with a thin silver tube using a pair of tweezers. “But I’m having a little trouble getting it-AHH!”

The silver tube broke open and the pressure caused webs shot out into both of their faces.

“Ican’tseeIcan’tseeIcan’tsee!” Futaba tried to remove the webs but only succeeded in further tangling herself. Yusuke was in no better of a position.

“Futaba?” A voice called from downstairs. “Everything alright? You two’d better not be fooling around up there!”

“It’s fine dad! We’re fine! I uhh, I just dropped a book is all!”

“Alright. But you’d better not close that door young lady!”

Futaba turned to Yusuke (as best as she could given the circumstances.)

“This could be a problem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! This time out earlier than the last! I hope you guys are okay with the pacing of this chapter. It will relate back to the main story but I also just kinda wanna have fun with this one. So the students will be staying at a shitty motel for their stay at Hawaii and they'll have more interesting stuff happen than what happened in the base game. We will be cutting back to Japan to catch up with other characters, not just Futaba and Yusuke. Also, Hifumi is a Shujin student in this story! I figured it was long past time I introduce her. Let me know what you guys think of this arc so far and if you have any input it would be greatly appreciated. That's all for now!


	40. Chapter 40

[56]

Kobayakawa aka the Kingpin, sat at his desk, papers completely scattered across it. The crime boss rubbed his temples to relieve his aching head.

How could their plans be falling apart so badly? If things kept up at this rate, Masayoshi Shido would personally kill him himself. With the election coming in the upcoming months, their deadline was fast approaching and they were behind in every way.

Following Spider-Man’s demise, the city streets would run rampant with criminals wielding dangerous technology with the potential to do unprecedented damage. Law enforcement would be helpless against these villains and be forced to look elsewhere for help. That was when Shido Sciences would step in, providing the police with much needed assistance in order to bring crime down to a ‘manageable level.’ After becoming the city’s savior, Shido would practically be handed the position of prime minister.

Those were the plans, however they neglected to account for the arrival of a new Spider-Man. A wrench had been thrown into the cogs of their plan and no matter what they tried, they couldn’t seem to get it out. This frustrated everyone involved in the plans to no end, with his constant interference, the plan seemed further out of reach with each failure.

Kobayakawa’s thoughts were interrupted by his secretary entering the room.

“You wished to speak with me sir?”

Kobayakawa gestured for the man to sit. “It has become clear to me now that quantity can be no substitute for quality.” As he spoke he slid the man two folders sitting on his desk, each one with a photo clipped to the front of it. “If our goals are to succeed, we can no longer waste resources on criminals plucked from off the street.”

The secretary picked up the folders and examined the photos. The first was of a red haired man with blue eyes and, most notably, an X-shaped scar running from his forehead onto his face. The second was of a man with long blue hair that obscured his right eye.

“Sho Minazuki and Minato Arisato.” Kingpin stated the two men’s names respectively. “Years of experience in their fields with impressive criminal records. They are the quality we’ve been looking for.”

“Sir as I’m sure you’re already aware, both of these men are in prison at the moment. Hiring them will prove quite...difficult. Not to mention it will take quite some time.”

“I’m well aware of that. It is quite frustrating, the blockades we must go through, however they are the best we have available. Following our ‘deal’ with Adachi, security at The Raft has increased dramatically and I’m afraid that the pickings are slim. Fortunately, neither of these men have any ‘powers’ so they are being kept at a standard maximum security prison, far easier to access then The Raft.”

“Might I ask what their incentive to accept our offer would be? I only ask as their type tends to be more difficult to control than the average criminal.”

Kingpin stared out onto the city before him from his window. “Once they are released, they are to be given their appropriate equipment as well as a contract. 10 million yen. Each. So long as the Spider-Man dies I don’t care which one kills him they will both be paid.”

The secretary looked at him in confusion. “I’m sorry sir, but why? Wouldn’t it be more cost effective to give it only to the one who succeeds?”

“Simple. This way, the two of them aren’t inclined to compete and sabotage one another. We can’t afford to fail again. So no matter what it costs, I want Spider-Man dead.”

“Yes sir of course. Please forgive my ignorance.” He bowed before exiting the room, files in hand.

As the door shut behind the man, Kobayakawa was left alone in his office once again. He took a sip of whiskey while staring out onto the city. Once the plan succeeded, the criminal underground would be his and solely his. Shido would see through to that. 

All they had to do was squash one measly bug.

[57]

“C’mon Ren! Let’s hurry up and hit the beach dude!” Ryuji called to his friend from the other side of the bathroom door.

Ren examined himself in the mirror as he finished getting dressed for the beach. In his short career as Spider-Man so far, he’d accumulated no small shortage of scars, even with his healing factor some wounds remained permanently etched onto his body.

As Ryuji knocked on the door once more, Ren zipped up his red hoodie and exited the bathroom.

“Dude, what’s the hoodie for? It’s hot as hell out. You burn easily or somethin’?”

“Eh,” Ren playfully punched his friend’s shoulder. “Just being a good wingman. If the girls got a peek at my body, they wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

“Pfft yeah right. Check out these guns!” The blond flexed for his friend as the pair exited their room.

“Whoa. I stand wildly corrected. Save some for the ladies man.” Ren responded sarcastically.

“Hey guys! Are we ready to go?” Mishima was waiting for them excitedly.

“Hell yeah! Operation: Babe Hunt begins!” Ryuji cheered.

The trio arrived on the beach and Mishima and Ryuji set to work while Ren hung back at a cabana and watched. As Ryuji flirted (and struck out) with a foreign woman in her twenties, Ren’s attention was pulled away by someone speaking to him.

“Hey there handsome, come here often?” A tan woman in her early thirties with long dark hair pulled up a stool next to him. Ren looked around to make sure she was talking to him. “Yeah, I’m talking to you.”

Ren was surprised, he’d never been hit on before, at least he assumed that was what was happening. “Oh uh, no. I’m here on a school trip. I’m from Japan.”

“Oh high school boy. I thought you were older based on your looks.”

“Thank...you?”

The woman chuckled. “It’s a compliment, I assure you. You look mature for your age.”

Ren smiled at her. “Thanks, I’m just here to support my friends.” He pointed to Ryuji and Mishima. “The two over there hitting on women almost twice their age.”

She laughed at that. “Well it seems like you’re one hell of a wingman from back here.”

“Eh, I just don’t feel like embarrassing myself. I honestly don’t know where they find the confidence.”

“Hey Ren,” Ren turned around to see Ann in a bikini looking somewhat peeved. “Who’s your new friend?”

“Oh hey Ann, I was just talking with…” He turned to the woman. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

“Trisha.” The woman smiled at him whilst grabbing her things. “I’m just gonna get outta here. Wouldn’t want to upset your girlfriend any more than she already is.”

“G-Girlfriend!?” Ann and Ren said in surprise. But Trisha left before they could correct her.

The two teenagers looked at each other with red cheeks before turning away.

“Yo Ren!” Ryuji entered the cabana. “Dude who was that? She was hot! Oh hey Ann, didn’t see you there.”

A resounding slap sounded across the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter double feature! I'm not super sure how long I should make this arc but I have some fun scenes I want to do. Also Minato and Sho are joining the story! Which villains are they? If you remember all the way back to chapter 1 I did actually hint at what villain he was, thats right, I set up that shit months ago! But what villain do you think Minato is? Also what girl do you want Ren to have a moment with next? I was thinking of pairing Ryuji with Hifumi. Thoughts? Let me know in the comments. Edit: This chapter has been revised and Shinjiro Aragaki has been replaced by Minato Arisato, in this universe, he and the fem P3 protag coexist, but they aren't related and never even met.


	41. Chapter 41

[58]

Masayoshi Shido stepped into the lab of his facility. Scientists and engineers scrambled about the floor while avoiding his gaze. It wasn’t often that the corporation’s CEO came down here, and whenever he did, it was never good.

The leading scientist in charge stepped in front of Shido, quaking in his boots.

“M-Mr. Shido uh sir, I know that we’re currently behind schedule on the Silver Centurions. But I can explain! There’s an issue with the AI, you see, they have a tendency towards violent-”

“I don’t care about the Centurions. I’m here to check up on the progress of my personal project.”

“Y-You mean project O? Well um, you see…There’s been some problems with that as well. The neural interface has proved quite difficult to establish, at the moment it seems impo-” The head scientist was interrupted as his throat was grabbed.

Shido lifted the man off of the ground with one arm, the scientist struggling to breath. Shido’s orange tinted glasses obscured his eyes as he stared the man down.

“I’m sorry, it seems I mistook you for a scientist, someone who solves problems. However, all I can ever seem to recall you doing is causing them for me.” His grip tightened and the man’s face turned purple from lack of air. “If you can’t seem to get anything to work then what the hell am I paying you for!?”

The scientist clawed at Shido’s hand desperately, his eyes began rolling to the back of his head. Just before consciousness left him, he was released from Shido’s grasp and fell to the floor wheezing for air.

“Fix. This.” Shido turned around to leave, noticing that all eyes in the lab were on him. When he turned towards them, the scientists all resumed their work as if nothing had happened. “You have 72 hours.” Was the last thing he said before exiting the facility.

Miles away, in his own laboratory, Dr. Takuto Maruki had just finished the latest version of his formula. As he prepped for the next trial to take place, he couldn’t help but wish he had some extra hands to help him out.

Usually, Maruki would have the help of his assistant to perform these tasks. However, Haru Okumura was currently in Hawaii helping supervise the trip. Unfortunately, the other student he was looking to enlist the help of, Ren Amamiya, was also on said trip.

When it finally succeeded, Maruki’s formula could revolutionize the medical industry. The Body Accelerated Regeneration Formula, lovingly referred to as BARF, would allow the body to heal from any wound, even missing limbs and organs, near instantly. To call it world shaking would be an understatement.

Sticking the hypodermic needle into one of 3-legged lab rats, he injected the revised formula into its veins.

“Alright Fred, here’s hoping for lucky number 13.”

Maruki turned on the camera to observe Fred’s progression overnight. Stopping for a moment to watch the rat’s behavior, Maruki sighed holding the stump of his right arm. Recalling the reason he started down this path to begin with.

“Please...please work.”

The biologist let out a yawn before checking the time on his watch, surprised by how late it was, or rather early, Maruki took a seat in his lab’s armchair. He was just going to rest his eyes for a minute.

The doctor was out cold in less than a minute.

Many more miles away, two teenagers sat outside of their motel at night with their feet in a hot tub. The sound of strings being plucked carelessly and horribly with absolutely no skill echoed through the otherwise empty space.

Ryuji covered his ears in pain at the sound. “Dude, while it’s cool you found a souvenir, why the fuck do you need to practice it here?”

Yuuki Mishima stopped playing his new ukulele, offended by the question. “There’s no need to be mean Sakamato. I’m trying to learn to play the guitar to help pick up girls. Chicks love guys that play guitar.”

“Actually,” A female voice chimed in. “Ukuleles aren’t considered to be guitars. Guitars have 6 strings while a ukulele only has 4.” From out of the shadow of the motel, 3 figures appeared walking towards the hot tub. The one who spoke being a dark haired girl with a red ribbon in her bangs.

Ryuji only recognized Ann out of the group, the others were strangers to him. The girls walked up the stairs and dipped their feet in the tub as well, enjoying the warm feeling against the cold night air.

“Hey guys! I’m back with the sodas!” Ren called from behind them. “You guys owe me 6 dollars! However much that is in yen!” The superpowered teen hopped up to the tub. “Oh, hey Ann...and friends.”

“Oh that’s right!” Ann said. “You guys haven’t met. Guys this is Hifumi Togo, she’s in Class 2A.” Ann gestured towards the girl with the ribbon. “And this is Haru Okumura from Class 3B.” She pointed to a girl with short fluffy light brown hair.

“Hello.” The fluffy haired girl gave a shy wave. She seemed sad for some reason, like her mind was a million miles away dealing with its own problems.

“Hey I know you!” Ren pointed to Haru. “You T.A. for Dr. Maruki right?”

Haru seemed surprised to be recognized. “Uh, well yes on occasion. I’m planning on becoming a biology major in college. Botany to be specific.”

“Me too!” Ren said. “Well, not botany, but I am interested in biology. Mostly cross-species genetics. I think it’s really amazing what can be accomplished with CRISPR.”

Haru’s face lit up at this, excited to discuss science with another like-minded student. As the pair began to discuss their common interests, the other 4 present were completely lost.

“I read a magazine on frogs the other day!” Ann chimed in.

Everyone present stared at the blonde. The girl cringed in embarrassment over her loud comment.

Not knowing what to do, she decided to continue her thought. “Uh, they discovered a new kind of frog, I guess? A moropuke-something?” 

“Oh. A moropukaqumir?” Haru answered. “I read that article as well. I think it’s fantastic that despite frog populations suffering from widespread fungal diseases, they’ve still discovered new species!”

“Uh...Yeah that!”

Ryuji placed his head in his palms, could Ann be any more obvious? If even he could see it, he had no idea how Ren couldn’t.

Next to Ryuji, Mishima stretched his arm. “Boy, it's pretty warm out here isn’t it?” The blue haired boy removed his t-shirt, leaving him in just his swim trunks. Besides his malnourished looking body, something stood out to Ryuji about Mishima.

“Holy shit dude, is that a tattoo?”

On his left bicep, Mishima had a black tattoo of Spider-Man’s symbol. It was small enough and high enough up that a short sleeve shirt could still conceal it, but it was definitely visible now.

“Oh this?” Mishima said with a smirk, he’d obviously meant to show it off. “Just got it the other week. Wanted to show my support for Tokyo’s hero y’know?”

“Are your parents alright with you having that?” Hifumi questioned.

This flustered the boy. “O-Of course! Well at first not, but then I told them I’m a m-man who can make his own choices!”

Ryuji raised a skeptical eyebrow at his friend.

“S-So what do you guys think? Spider-Man’s pretty awesome right? The new one, I mean.”

“Oh I’m a big fan as well!” Haru said excitedly. “Especially after he captured the Vulture!” The girl looked off into the distance as if remembering something before turning back to the group. “He is definitely a great hero!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryuji saw Ren blushing while rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’m not so sure.” Everyone turned to face Hifumi who had a serious expression. “I mean, don’t get me wrong I do believe he’s trying to help. But his theatrics can sometimes cause more damage. He destroyed part of an apartment complex in Sumida, they’re still repairing the damages he caused.”

“But he did that for a good reason!” Everyone turned in surprise at Ren who was uncharacteristically defensive. “I mean, the news said that he brought it down to stop Molten Man right? Plus, they evacuated the building, so no one was injured.”

“True, but those people were left without a home for the time being. Wouldn’t a true hero be able to stop a villain without causing harm to the public?” Hifumi pressed further.

Ren was left unsure, only looking down while fiddling with his hoodie’s zipper.

Before Ryuji could reassure his friend, Ms. Kawakami appeared from behind him, scaring the boy and causing him to fall from his seat onto the concrete.

“Hey there *hicc* kids! You all gossiping amongst yourselves?” The woman was holding a margarita in her hand and was clearly drunk. “Oh man, I remember when I was *hicc* you kids’ age. Hoo boy, did I get up to shenan-sh-shenanig...stuff. What was I talking about?”

The 6 teenagers stared silently at the adult who was supposed to be supervising them. Looking around at her students, the teacher was confused by the judgemental looks she was receiving.

“What?”

[59]

Morgana was lonely. With his beloved Lady Ann out of the country, he’d spent the past 5 days trying to keep himself busy. While his family was glad to have him help out at their club, he could only stand to be around his siblings so much before he had to get away. 

Unsure of where else to go, the boy found himself at Leblanc in the mid-afternoon. The bell rang as he entered the empty cafe and Sojiro turned to see him.

“Oh hey, you’re one of Ren’s friends. Uhhh Mona right?”

“Morgana actually.” The boy in question looked around. “Are the others around?”

Sojiro pointed his thumb upwards. “They’re upstairs. You’ll have to knock if you want to get in, they said they’re working on a ‘secret present’ for Ren. I don’t know what they mean by that, it’s not like it’s his birthday or anything soon, but I don’t hear anything bad going on up there so I’ll leave them be for now.”

With a nod, Morgana headed up the cafe stairs. He didn’t remember there being a door at the top but he supposed it was a recent addition.

Knocking on the door, there was a brief pause before Futaba’s voice came from the other side.

“We’re all good on coffee Sojiro!”

“It’s Morgana.” He replied.

He thought he heard whispering on the other side, then the sound of the door unlocking.

“It’s open!” Futaba’s voice called.

Morgana opened the door and entered the room. He was surprised by how dark it was, the blinds were closed and the only sources of light were computer screens that lay open strewn across desktops, shelves, and the floor.

The boy recognized the form of Yusuke Kitagawa, hunched over a desk with a needle and thread, his project illuminated by a tiny desk lamp. He seemed intently focused on his task and Morgana wasn’t even sure Yusuke knew he was there.

Futaba was sitting on the floor in her pajamas, she seemed to be typing furiously on two laptops at once. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun with two pens sitting in it, seemingly forgotten. Futaba also seemed completely caught up in what she was doing, however she seemed aware that a third person was present.

“Lock the door.” She said without looking up.

Morgana complied with the request before walking to the center of the room. As he stepped further in, he was suddenly struck by the room’s smell. Holding his nose in disgust, Morgana could only assume that neither of the room’s inhabitants had bathed in days.

“What happened here? It’s disgusting!”

Without looking up from his work Yusuke answered. “We were struck by inspiration! With Ren gone, a once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself!”

Morgana raised a questioning eyebrow at the boy.

“Since Ren’s not here, we can mess around with his Spider-Man stuff.” Futaba explained. “I’m working on the tech and Inari’s working on the suit.”

“Ah, I see. Aaaand what part of that involves not showering for days?”

“Pfft, it's only been like one or two days max. I showered Tuesday.”

“It’s Sunday.”

Futaba glanced up from her laptop, her face confused before she looked back at the computer, presumably checking the date.

“Oh shit! It is Sunday! Do you know what that means!?”

“That you both need soap and deodorant badly?”

Futaba ignored the comment. “Ren’s home tomorrow! Oh god, I need to get ready!” She stood up and began desperately trying to fix her hair. Pens clattered to the floor and Futaba rushed out the door.

Morgana turned to Yusuke who continued his work.

“Aaaaand...finished!” Yusuke held the suit up with pride. Setting it down next to him, he placed his head on the desk and ceased moving.

“Uhh, Yusuke?” Morgana asked in concern.

The sound of snoring cut through the silence and reassured Morgana that the boy was not dead. Morgana placed a blanket over the older boy’s back before exiting the attic.

Morgana left the cafe, waving to Sojiro as he went out the door. As he headed towards the Yongen subway station, he noticed a woman struggling with her suitcase. Morgana considered himself a gentleman, so of course he assisted the woman in need.

As he helped her place her items in the suitcase, the woman looked up. She was older, but still very pretty. Her short hair and glasses gave her an intelligent and refined look.

“Thank you so much young man. I really appreciate it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double feature! Vacation's over next chapter and we can get back to crime fighting. What improvements did Futaba and Yusuke make? Who will the next villain be? Find out next time. I hope you guys are enjoying the story and looking forward to getting back to the action. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!


	42. Chapter 42

[60]

Ren Amamiya stepped off the subway in Yongen Jaya. Tired after his flight home, all Ren wanted to do now was lie down in his bed. With a bag packed full of souvenirs for his friends, the boy made his way through the streets until he arrived at the cafe door.

“Aloha everyone!” Ren greeted as he entered Leblanc.

As he looked around inside the cafe, he noticed that Sojiro, Futaba, and Yusuke were not present. Instead, the only individual present was a woman sitting at one of the booths. The woman had short black hair, glasses, dark brown eyes, and appeared to be in her early 40s.

“Oh um, hello.” Ren waved awkwardly. “Are you a customer? I could make you some coffee if you’d like.”

The woman let out a small chuckle before standing to greet him. “You must be Ren. Futaba’s told me a lot about you.”

Ren simply stood there with a perplexed look on his face, one could practically see the gears turning in his head. Suddenly, the answer donned on him. He’d seen this woman’s face before, in a photo he’d seen months ago.

“You’re Wakaba Isshiki, Futaba’s mom.”

The woman seemed surprised to be recognized, but glad nonetheless. “That’s right, I guess we’ve both heard of each other. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”

Suddenly the bell of the cafe rang once more. The form of a small girl carrying a large bag of groceries entered the room.

“Moooom, we’re back from the store! I brought-” Futaba paused when she saw her best friend home again. “REN!” The girl dropped her groceries and immediately sprinted at Ren, jumping onto his back and wrapping her arms around him.

Ren accepted the odd hug as he held his friend aloft, she weighed practically nothing to him so he didn’t mind carrying her. “Hey there Futaba, glad to be back.”

Wakaba couldn’t help but smile at the situation, seeing her daughter so excited to see someone other than her made the mother immensely happy. Only getting to see her daughter and Sojiro in person once a year made it hard on Futaba, so seeing her overjoyed at the sight of another person was a welcome relief.

“Futaba did you just drop your bag? We had eggs in there dammit!” The grouchy voice of Sojiro called as he entered the cafe door carrying several more bags of groceries. When he saw Ren, the older man did little more than give him a welcoming nod.

“Oh, let me help you with those, Boss.” Ren picked up Futaba’s forgotten groceries and some of Sojiro’s, all while still carrying the younger girl on his back.

When they finally finished putting the items away in the fridge, Sojiro turned to Ren. “Welcome back kid. I see you and Wakaba have already become acquainted.”

“Yeah,” Ren nodded in response. “She seems very kind. I see why you two became friends...Speaking of friends, where’s Yusuke?”

“Oh, he’s off in Shinjuku looking at cheap apartments. Said he couldn’t rely on the kindness of others forever. He should be back late tonight.”

Suddenly from the booths, a gasp could be heard from Futaba. “I just had the best idea! Let’s have hotpot together! It’ll be like a real family dinner!”

Sojiro looked unsure. “I dunno Futaba, I’m sure Ren’s pretty jetlagged.”

“I’m up for it.” Ren replied simply. “I’d love to join, if you’ll have me, that is.”

Wakaba smiled at the boy once again. “It’d be our pleasure dear.”

Ren and Sojiro prepared the meal together, working side by side like an apprentice and master chef. Meanwhile, the mother-daughter duo sat conversing with one another.

“So mom, what do you think of Ren? He’s pretty great right? He’s only been here 4 months and already he’s like family.”

Wakaba nodded at her daughter before looking back at the boy assisting Sojiro. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think the two were a father and son with how they got along.

“He is indeed.” Wakaba leaned forward and whispered to her daughter. “I see you’re quite smitten with him.”

“W-What!?” Futaba leaned back in shock, her cheeks bright red. “I-I’m n-not!” She looked over at the guys, too distracted by their cooking to notice the outburst. Looking back at her mother, she saw her giving her the sarcastic ‘Really?’ look.

Futaba leaned in and whispered back to her mother. “Okay, maybe a little.” She shot a glance back over at Ren. “What do you think I should do?”

“Honey, as glad as I am to have this talk. I’m not the one to talk to about romance. My suggestion; be yourself. He seems to like you just as you are.” Wakaba reassured her.

Futaba didn’t seem satisfied with this answer, but before she could say anything more, Ren and Sojiro walked over with the former holding a large pot of food.

The four of them dug into their food, and it was everything Futaba had hoped it would be. For the first time, dinner felt like a true family meal, despite the fact that only two people at the table were actually related. But that didn’t matter, Futaba’s real family was right here with her.

“Whoa, that was filling.” Sojiro patted his belly in satisfaction. Everyone at the table similarly stuffed, (minus Ren who was only faking it, enhanced metabolism and such, you know the deal.) Sojiro checked his watch. “Well after that, I’d say I’m ready to hit the hay.”

Ren stretched and let out a yawn, his jetlag catching up with him. “Same here.”

Futaba wanted to speak in protest, not wanting the moment to end. But seeing everyone getting up to leave stopped her from acting.

The family decided to turn in early for the night, Ren heading up to his room in the attic while the rest of the family entered the Sakura household.

As Ren entered the attic he immediately noticed how off everything seemed. Someone had clearly been here messing with his stuff while he was gone.

“Oh fuck, what is that smell?”

[Bonus]

Wakaba jolted awake, quickly examining her surroundings before remembering where she was. She was in Sojiro’s house, spending the night on the pullout couch, the room only illuminated by the static on the television screen.

Wakaba quickly examined her hands, watching as they shifted from their normal pale color to a glowing black with white smoke emitting off of them.

“No...No...Nononono.” She shook her head. Trying and failing to return them back to normal. 

She quickly got up from the couch, grabbed her jacket, and ran out the front door, not daring to look back at the home.

“Please.” She sobbed to herself as she ran. 

“Not here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the next arc begins. The mystery woman from last chapter was Wakaba. In case you forgot which I wouldn't blame you, it was stated like 40 chapters ago, Wakaba is alive in this universe she just travels constantly so Sojiro takes care of Futaba while Wakaba visits when she can. Hope you guys can tell what villain I'm hinting at with her, Spider-Man PS4 fans should know. Let me know what you think in the comments!


	43. Chapter 43

[61]

“Do you ever have that thought while driving? The thought that with a simple turn, you could crash the car, killing everyone inside it. You know that you won’t and there’s absolutely no reason to, but you hear that tiny voice in the back of your head telling you to do it anyway.” 

Wakaba Isshiki sat in her 10’ by 10’ reinforced glass container, stocked with all the items she could need to be comfortable, yet trapped nonetheless.

“Of course, everyone has that thought, it's perfectly normal.” The psychologist, sitting outside of the container in his own chair, replied.

“Well, with my ‘condition,’ it’s like that voice gets put in the driver’s seat. There’s no logic behind it, but regardless, I feel this pull to do the worst thing possible at that time.”

The therapist jotted down some notes before looking up once more. “And the people you...effect with this ability, they feel a similar compulsion?”

“I think so, but I don’t think it’s to the same degree. And they don’t have my powers, they can’t spread the infection to others or use my ‘other’ abilities. They just...lash out.” Wakaba explained.

The scientist hummed for a moment before jotting something else down. “And how would you describe these ‘other’ abilities Ms. Isshiki?”

Wakaba stared at her hands. “Explosive.” She said simply.

“Okay. Why don’t we move on then?” He stated awkwardly. “The scientists here have developed a medicine, one that helps with your...situation. Is that correct?”

“Yes...However, it’s been getting weaker. I’m developing a resistance to the drugs, and my time as myself is becoming shorter and shorter. Soon, I’m afraid, there may not be any me left.”

“That does sound scary. How are you coping with that?” The man asked.

“I’m scared.” Wakaba’s face became somber. “But not just for myself, for the people I’ll hurt, for my daughter.”

“And that’s why you want to go? To see her one more time before…”

“Yes.” Wakaba’s eyes were teary. “Before the inevitable.”

“Well,” The psychologist stood up from his seat. “I think I’ve heard enough.”

Wakaba watched the man anxiously, afraid of what he might say next.

“I’m clearing you to leave. You will be given one week’s time to spend with your loved ones.”

“Really!?” Wakaba stood up, excitedly clasping her hands together.

“Yes. You’ll be prepped for your exit later tonight and should make it to Tokyo by tomorrow afternoon.” The man smiled as he stepped out of the room, leaving Wakaba alone in her container.

“One week...I’ll make every second of it count.”

Two days later:

Wakaba Isshiki was standing just outside of Yongen in the middle of the night, having just fled Sojiro’s house. Her phone was pressed hard against her ear, as she desperately trying to get help. Something had gone wrong, the dose they gave her beforehand must’ve been too weak, her powers shouldn’t be surfacing yet.

“Sorry, the number you are trying to contact is not in service-” An automated voice stated on the other end.

“NO!” Wakaba threw her phone to the ground. Catching a glimpse of her now fully transformed hands in the process. “Nonononothiscan’tbehappening!” The skin around her neck became pitch black as she desperately picked up her cracked phone and tried calling again.

What could have happened? Why couldn’t she reach them? How long did she have before...

“Ma’am?” A voice called from behind her, but she ignored it. “Excuse me? Ma’am? Do you need help?” A young police officer placed his hand on her shoulder.

When Wakaba spun around to face him, he was shocked to see the color in her face invert. Her skin became jet black and her dark hair became a stark glowing white. Two glowing white eyes stared at him furiously. Before he could back away, the woman grabbed him by the throat.

“Leave me ALONE!”

The man’s eyes went wide in fear as the pitch black of her hand seemed to crawl onto his own skin, taking over his body in a matter of seconds. When the infection was complete, she released the man who stood still for a moment before walking in the other direction. The officer approached his partner who was sitting in the squad car on his phone.

The partner said something to the brainwashed officer without looking up, what it was, Wakaba couldn’t hear. He was caught completely off guard when the officer raised his weapon at his partner and fired a shot directly into his head. The officer then walked off with his weapon still raised, in search of more victims.

Satisfied with her work here, but not done by a longshot, the transformed Wakaba walked off into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy the chapter! I think this arc is gonna be a good one. Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas!


	44. Chapter 44

[62]

Ren awoke the next morning to the sound of his phone buzzing. Reaching over to grab it, he was surprised to find a text from his favorite detective queen.

The text simply read: “Check the news.”

Realizing immediately that this meant business, Ren ran downstairs to check the TV, almost running into an unconscious Yusuke on the couch. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was surprised to see Sojiro and Futaba already watching the news with Wakaba sitting at the counter.

He was hardly acknowledged by them as they were so engrossed by the report. Ren turned to see just what it was that’d occurred. As he read the report at the bottom, images of smoking buildings and officers arresting groups of people played above.

The text at the bottom read: “27 Dead, 58 Injured in a series of crimes committed seemingly at random. Perpetrators claim mass hysteria.

“Holy shit.” Ren murmured under his breath.

“This happened right outside of Yongen.” Sojiro said before getting on his phone. “We need to invest in some stronger locks. I’ll order some new ones-”

“I’ll go!” Ren interrupted. “I’m going out anyway, I’ll pick some up and bring them back this afternoon.”

“You don’t have any money.” Futaba chimed in.

“Thanks Futaba.”

“Here,” Sojiro slid him his credit card. “You can use that. But I swear to God, if I see one other purchase on there…”

“I know, I’ll be out on the streets.” Ren replied as he walked upstairs to get dressed.

“So mom,” Futaba turned to her mother. “Today, I was thinking that the two of us could-”

“Sorry dear, but something came up with work. I have to-ugh” Wakaba nursed her head. “I have to go, I’ll be back tonight...hopefully.”

Futaba’s smile drooped as her gaze fell to the floor. “Oh, okay. I’ll just...see you tonight then.”

“I’m sorry dear, I love you.” She patted her daughter’s head before heading out the door.

“Love you-” The door shut loudly. “Too…”

Upstairs, Ren climbed out his window in full costume with his phone pressed to his shoulder. Ren felt that the costume was more snug than usual. As he finished packing his clothes into his bag, Naoto finally picked up on the other end.

“Naoto, I saw the report. Do you have any leads?”

“None. Everyone’s claiming some kind of psychotic breakdown. And the perpetrators are completely random, police officers, homeless people, little old ladies. All of them committed violent crimes with no prior offenses.”

Ren leapt from Leblanc to another roof. “Shit. I’ll go on patrol, see if I can find any leads for myself.”

“Y’know, usually people leave that job up to the police.”

“Aww c’mon Naoto, I know you save the best jobs for me.” Ren leapt from the roof and attempted to shoot a webline to a nearby building. To his surprise, rather than a webline, a flurry of small web pellets shot out instead.

As Ren slammed onto the road with a loud thud, the voice of Naoto sounded from the other end.

“Ren? Ren are you okay? What happened?”

Ren picked himself off the ground. “Naoto, I’m gonna have to call you back.” He hung up and dialed another number.

“Hello?”

“Hey Futaba, quick question. Would you mind explaining to me what the hell happened to my webshooters?”

“Oooh, I left it on rapid fire didn’t I?”

“Rapid fire!? Since when is there rapid fire!?”

“Since I installed it. You’re welcome by the way.”

“Yeah, tell that to my possibly broken nose.” Ren felt around his face to make sure nothing was actually broken.

A small giggle escaped from Futaba. “Did you faceplant?”

“Oh, I’m glad you find it funny. How do I fix it?”

“There’s a dial on the wrist, you can change between settings there.”

Ren examined the wrist of the device seeing that there was a newly installed dial. “Huh.” Changing it from ‘rapid fire’ to ‘classic’ he tested the device and thankfully it worked like normal.

“Okay then, thanks for the upgrade.” Ren began swinging once more.

“Hey Ren…” Futaba’s voice was shaky.

“Futaba? What’s up?”

“I-It’s nothing. Um, good luck out there.”

“Wait, Futaba what’s-” But she’d already hung up. “Dammit. I’ll have to talk with her later.”

As he swung through the city, he kept an eye out for any crimes that may be happening, but saw nothing. When he finally reached Akihabara, he changed into his civilian clothes on a rooftop before climbing down discreetly.

He entered a tech store and searched around for electronic locks, finally discovering them after 20 minutes of searching. After setting them on the counter and paying he walked out of the store with his items in a plastic bag.

As he set down his backpack to put away his items, his phone buzzed. Checking it revealed a text from Naoto, there was no text, only a video attachment. When he clicked on it he was shown black and white footage that seemed to be a traffic cam.

Out of the corner of the screen, a figure stepped into view. The figure was strange and seemed almost photo negative, but the picture was too blurry to see them clearly. From the other corner, a car arrived at the light and honked at the figure. In response, the figure held out their hands and a black wave shot out and engulfed the vehicle.

“Holy shit!” 

Ren set his bag down and texted Naoto: “Where was this?”

Before he could get a response, someone bumped him from behind.

“Hey c’mon man!” As Ren turned his head, the person behind him took off running. This wouldn’t have been a problem if it weren’t for the familiar backpack in their hand. “Hey! Stop!” Ren took off after the thief, as he was about to use his webshooters, he realized he was in his civilian clothes and there were people around.

As Ren chased the man with his bag, he couldn’t help but notice how no one even attempted to help stop the thief, despite ample opportunity. ‘Wow, why do I defend this city again?’

The thief rounded a corner and Ren followed soon after. As he turned the corner himself, he tripped over his own discarded bag.

“What the? Why would they just leave it?” He reached into the opened bag and searched around. “Okay, the locks are still there. So what did he-? Wait, oh god my wallet!” He continued to search desperately but to no avail.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. As has been mentioned numerous times at this point, Ren Amamiya had absolutely no money. However, today Ren had decided to put Sojiro’s credit card in his wallet.

Ren looked up from his bag to the busy Akihabara streets, unable to see the thief among them.

“This could be very bad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while since I posted. I hope you guys think the chapter quality is consistent. I was possibly a little drunk while writing some of this chapter. Also I thought I'd add in some personal problems going on in Ren's life, that's like quintessential Spider-Man. Let me know what you guys think. Please.


	45. Chapter 45

[63]

Wakaba stood outside of what used to be a Shido Sciences research lab, only now the building was vacated and appeared to be for lease. What the hell was happening? None of her phone calls were getting through to her Shido Sciences contacts, the facility was gone, almost as if it’d never existed.

As she thought about what could possibly be happening, Wakaba grabbed her head as pain shot through her brain.

“NO! No this-this can’t be happening! It’s too soon! I just used it!” Wakaba could feel the pressure building in her body. Her ‘other self’ was gaining her power back, and faster than ever before. Normally, it would take days for the symptoms to reappear after using her abilities, but now they were back after mere hours.

As the pain in her head dulled somewhat, Wakaba considered what to do next. She needed something to help this throbbing headache. Painkillers, she needed painkillers.

With her next move decided, she got on the subway to head to the nearest pharmacy. As she stood amongst the crowd of people in the train car, all she could think was how damn loud it was. God, was the city always this annoying?

Wakaba’s headache returned full force and she gripped the pole. Hard. So hard that the metal began to cave under her fingers as white sparks shot out from them. She needed to get out of here now, before she did more harm.

When the subway pulled to a stop, she didn’t even care where she got off, just that she escaped here. She pushed her way through the crowds of the station and reached the stairs, climbing up to the city above. When she finally reached the street level, she winced at how bright it was. This was bad, she didn’t have long before-

Wakaba’s train of thought was brought to a halt as she turned a corner on an empty street, colliding with another body. The two of them fell to the ground.

“Oh I’m so sorry, that was my fauuuu-” The man she’d bumped into began to apologize before he got a look at her, recognition showing on his face.

Wakaba studied the man, feeling she recognized him but not sure where…

The therapist! The man who’d interviewed her prior to her release was here in front of her.

Realizing that she knew who he was, the man got up to run, but he was too slow. Wakaba grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him in close. The therapist looked away from her in fear, unable to escape her grasp.

“YOU! You are going to explain to me just what the hell is going on!” Wakaba’s voice became distorted as her eyes glowed white.

“Please! Don’t hurt me! I just did what they ordered me to!” The man pleaded.

“Answer me! Why is the facility gone!? Why can’t I reach anyone!?” Her grip tightened and more white sparks flew from her blackening hands.

“They wanted this! They wanted you to lose control! It was just my job to clear you to leave! I swear!”

“Who wanted this!? Why!?”

“I don’t know! The orders came from up high! They were supposed to give you a placebo in place of your normal drugs and turn you loose! All employees were to cease further contact and relocate the facility and its assets! That’s everything I know I swear!”

Wakaba was left with more questions than answers, but she had a feeling that this particular well of information was dry.

“I believe you.”

The man let out a sigh of relief before realizing that he wasn’t being released. “Um Wakaba?” He asked with fear in his voice.

“No, not Wakaba.” She stated as her skin became pitch black and her hair a glowing white. A horrific smile grew on her lips. “I’m her better half, Ms. Negative.” As she said this, she drained the life force from the therapist.

After a few agonizing moments, the therapist dropped to the ground lifeless. His skin drained of all color and his eyes rolled back.

Wakaba’s head felt clear now, the pain from before was nothing but a memory. She felt good now, great even, and she now knew her next target. If the orders came from high up in Shido Sciences, she would go to the very top for her answers. 

As she looked at the city skyline, she saw the Shido Sciences corporate building towering in the distance.

It was time to pay her old boss a visit.

[64]

Ren panickedly searched through the Akihabara streets, pushing his way through the crowd as he attempted to find the thief who took his wallet. This would prove difficult as he hadn’t even gotten a good look at the thief before they disappeared, he was just desperately searching for any suspicious characters.

When he finally pushed through the crowd and reached a clear area, he looked around hoping to find the thief, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Ren sighed in defeat, leaning against a wall and considered his options. He would have to tell Sojiro to cancel the card, but would undoubtedly receive an earful and may still be kicked out.

As he was contemplating this, he felt a tap on his shoulder from behind. He turned around to the source and came face to face with possibly the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and he knew a lot of beautiful women.

Dressed in a white fur coat (despite the fact that it was only mid-August) over a lacy black top that put her (very attention grabbing) cleavage on display and a pair of tight fitting jeans along with a pair of black heels. With thick flowing maroon hair that reached down her back and full red lips, her eyes obscured by a pair of black sunglasses, the woman was indisputably gorgeous. At a glance, one would think she was a celebrity or a famous model.

“Um, uh c-can I help you?” Ren silently cursed himself as his voice cracked unintentionally.

The woman’s lips curved up in a small smile, seemingly enjoying the effect she had on him. She leaned down to look at him, her heels giving her a few inches on him, he assumed that without them they’d be the same height (6 feet tall.) “Hello Ren.”

Ren was caught off guard, then immediately went on the defensive. If this woman knew his name, she could be dangerous. “How do you know my name?”

“Relax, I’m here to return this.” She reached into her cleavage, Ren looked away with red cheeks. When he turned back he saw that she was holding his wallet, brown and fraying at the edges from age, its contents empty of any bills, it was definitely his.

“That could not have been the most convenient place to keep that.” Ren said, hesitantly accepting the wallet.

The woman chuckled. “Don’t blame me, blame women’s clothing. Not a damn pocket on this outfit.” She gestured to her clothes. “Anyways onto business, I know who you are. Who you ‘really’ are.”

Ren was once again caught off guard. Who was this woman who, within 5 seconds of meeting him, already knew his secret identity? And why did she seem so familiar? That hair in particular- That’s when it hit him.

“You’re the Black Cat.”

“What you’re just now realizing? And here I thought you were smart.” She lowered her sunglasses. “I’m here to discuss the recent spike in gang crime with you. Oh and in case you were wondering, I didn’t organize that theft from you, I just happened to catch the guy and stole it back from him. I did follow you here though.”

“That’s...unsettling. We should probably go somewhere else to talk though, given the current ‘situation.’” Ren subtly gestured to the men standing 20 feet away, taking not at all subtle photos of the goddess of a woman before them, much to the aggravation of some of their wives.

“Please.” Black Cat responded.

Deciding to discuss over a meal, the pair entered the nearest place that served food, which unfortunately happened to be a maid cafe.

The two took their seats and were approached by one of the waitress-maid whatevers. “Um hello. Welcome M-Masters to our maid cafe.” The girl seemed a bit unsure of how to act. “I’m sorry, it’s just, we don’t get a lot of um, couples here. I’m supposed to be reading from a script, but it doesn’t really cover what to do in this situation.” The girl’s eyes widened. “Please don’t tell my manager I said that!”

The redheaded woman laughed it off. “No problem dear. If we could just get some water, that’d be great.”

“N-no problem!” The maid quickly walked off.

The redhead then turned to Ren, her expression becoming serious. “Alright, let’s talk.”

“Can I start?” Ren asked. “What do I call you? I think ‘Black Cat’ would be a bit suspicious don’t you think?”

“Call me Mitsuru.” The woman responded, placing her sunglasses on the table. “Now it’s my turn. How much do you know about Yu Narukami’s death?”

“Okay wow, getting right into it.” Ren was surprised by the question. “I mean, the Green Goblin killed him, right? During his attack on Shibuya where he blew up half the city. Is there more to the story.”

Mitsuru seemed annoyed at his answer. “Seriously? Naoto hasn’t told you a thing, has she? That’s just like her.”

“Wait a minute, hold up. You know Naoto!?”

Mitsuru raised an eyebrow. “Oh boy, she really hasn’t told you a thing. Yes, Naoto and I know each other, I used to work with Yu back in the day, so I got to know her pretty well. We don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, hence why I’m talking to you instead of her.”

Ren didn’t know what to think. Why was he only being told all of this now? By someone he’d just met. How much was Naoto keeping from him?

“Alright look, there’s a lot more to Yu’s death than the public knows. The attack that took place in Shibuya was planned months in advance, by someone high up. They broke Adachi, sorry, Green Goblin, out of The Raft and gave him an enhanced version of his Goblin formula. When that turned out to still not be enough to bring Narukami down, they activated their backup plan, blowing the city to hell.”

“Holy shit. So who-” Ren’s revelation was interrupted by the waitress returning with their drinks.

“Hi again. Um, here are your drinks.” She placed the waters on the table nervously. Ren and Mitsuru stared at the girl who awkwardly stood at the table. “Oh right! Your food! W-What can I get for you? M-Masters?”

“I’ll have whatever you recommend dear.” Mitsuru said in a sultry voice.

The maid blushed deeply before turning to Ren. “A-A-And you?”

“Nothing for me, thanks.” Ren said.

“Oh don’t be ridiculous.” Mitsuru chided Ren. “We’ll have two of the special. Please and thank you.” Mitsuru handed the waitress her menu.

“Y-yes ma’am!” The waitress took Ren’s menu and hurried off.

“You’re a growing boy you know.” Mitsuru turned back to Ren. “And if your appetite’s anything like Narukami’s, I’m sure you’re starving.”

Ren was about to protest, but his stomach growled before he could. Mitsuru shot him a smug smile.

“Why are you doing that? Why tease that girl? Unless-”

“I typically prefer the company of men dear,” Mitsuru ran her finger across Ren’s arm resting on the table. “But I’m partial to women as well. Not that that really has anything to do with our conversation right now.”

“R-Right.” Ren pulled his arm back. “So who planned the attack? Do you know?”

Mitsuru’s face went from playful to serious. “I don’t have any evidence, just a hunch. I believe the one behind the Shibuya massacre was none other than Masayoshi Shido.”

If Ren had been drinking his water, he’d have done a spit take. “Shido!? Billionaire philanthropist head of Shido Sciences, Masayoshi Shido!?” Luckily Ren knew to keep his voice down, lest he attract unwanted attention. “The guy who’s in the running to be our next prime minister!?”

Mitsuru’s expression was dead serious. “Yes, no one else has the resources or influence needed to accomplish such a task. And before you ask why, I don’t know, but I’m willing to bet it was only the first step in a larger grand plan. One that I’m sure you and I are problems for.”

“What do you mean by that?” Ren asked leaning forward.

“What I mean is, watch your back. Especially after that business with Tombstone, they’re likely already planning something for us. So stay on guard and prepare for the worst.”

Before she could continue, their waitress arrived with their food. “Here you are! Two special omelettes made with *ahem* ‘wots and wots of wuv from your favowite maid.’” The words seemed almost painful for the girl to get out. Ren cringed internally, meanwhile Mitsuru seemed to enjoy every second of it.

“Thank you so much dear.” Mitsuru replied.

Rather than leaving the waitress looked like she had a question. “Umm if you two don’t mind me asking. Are you two a celebrity couple? I’m sorry, you both just have this look to you and-”

“Shhhh.” Mitsuru placed her finger to her lips. “We are, but we’d really appreciate it if you kept it on the downlow.” She finished the sentence with a wink.

“O-O-Of course! No problem whatsoever! E-Enjoy your meal!” She hurried off excitedly.

Ren gave Mitsuru an incredulous look, she ignored him and began enjoying her meal. The food looked subpar but the woman before him ate it as elegantly as one would eat a 5-star meal. At this point, he decided to give up trying to understand this woman.

When the pair finished their meal, Ren reached for his pocket, knowing full well he couldn’t pay. Mitsuru paid him no mind and pulled out several thousand yen bills and set them on the counter, enough for their meal 10 times over.

The pair exited the cafe and stepped onto the Akihabara streets. It was then that Ren got another text from Naoto. Opening the text revealed that it only read 4 words.

“Get to Shinjuku NOW.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I posted this a little late, I had family visiting and spent the day with them. Hope you guys enjoy the double feature! I had a lot of fun writing the cafe scene. What do you guys think of Mitsuru in this story? I'm aware she's pretty out of character to her Persona 3 counterpart but I think she brings a lot of fun to the table as well as sexual tension. Tell me what you guys think and if there are any characters you'd like to see more of. I saw some requests for Sumire so rest assured she's coming back soon, I just have to naturally work her into the story. Let me know what you think! Until next time!


	46. Chapter 46

[65]

Wakaba Isshiki stood outside of the Shido Sciences corporate building, but she wasn’t alone. Standing just before her was a crowd of peaceful protestors trying to bring awareness to a recent oil spill Shido Sciences was involved in. However, if she had anything to say about it, the protest wouldn’t stay peaceful for long.

Stepping into the crowd from behind, Ms. Negative held out her hands, spreading her infection as she made her way through the crowd. As she passed by, the people she touched lashed out, attacking the others around them and erupting into chaos.

When she reached the front of the crowd, she turned around to admire her work. The civilians were attacking one another, using their signs as weapons along with whatever else they could find. The perfect distraction.

Soon enough, the guards outside of the building stepped in to break up the violence, only for Wakaba to infect them as well. She grabbed one of their security guards’ badges before sending them into the fray.

Wakaba scanned the badge and the front door unlocked, the light above it shining green. As she stepped into the lobby, she saw the panicked employees inside flinch at the sight of her. A satisfied smirk appeared on Wakaba’s face, this was going to be easier than she thought.

10 minutes later:

Ren and Mitsuru arrived at the scene unfolding in front of Shido Sciences in full costume. They watched what was happening from atop a nearby building. To describe what was happening as chaos was an understatement.

These people were at each other’s throats, fires were spreading around them, and the sound of breaking glass was near constant as some attacked nearby buildings.

Ren examined the riot before them and turned to Mitsuru. “I’ll handle the main group. You take care of the stragglers and try to put out the fires. Got it?”

Mitsuru smiled back at him. “Ooh, I like a man who takes charge.”

Ren rolled his eyes and leapt into action. Setting the dials on his webshooters to rapid fire, he tested out the new function. He unleashed a hail of web bullets into the crowd, each shot wrapping around their target, forming a set of restraints.

“Wow, this is actually really useful. I’ll have to thank Futaba again later.” Ren commented as he continued restraining rioters.

His thoughts were interrupted as his spider sense went off and he ducked out of the way of a gunshot. Turning to the source revealed a man in a security uniform holding a pistol at Ren.

“Oh come on! Whatever happened to ‘protect and serve?’ Wait, that's cops. Do security guards take an oath?” Ren quipped as he disarmed the guard before restraining him.

Ren looked over to Mitsuru who was knocking out the rioters attacking buildings. From the sound of sirens in the distance, he knew the cops were nearly here. He turned his attention back towards the crowd and set to work.

Meanwhile, Wakaba stood in the elevator as it dinged, indicating that she had reached the top floor. She stepped out onto the floor where a fleet of security guards were waiting for her, weapons drawn.

“Ma’am! Get on the ground and put your hands behind your head!” One of them ordered.

“Alright, alright.” Wakaba put her hands up in surrender before kneeling and placing them on the ground. Suddenly her hands began to glow with power, and a wave of black and white energy shot across the floor and knocked the guards down.

She strode over to the one guard who still appeared to be conscious, despite groaning in pain. Ms. Negative stomped on his leg, digging her heel in deep, the guard let out a pained cry.

“Where’s your boss?” She questioned.

“Not...Here...Another...Facility...Odaiba.” He managed to get out.

“DAMMIT!” Wakaba yelled.

Suddenly, a window from the other side of the hall burst open and two figures in black and red entered the room.

“Give it up lady...Wait a sec. Ms. Isshiki!?” The male figure said in surprise.

“You know her!?” The female figure asked her partner.

Wakaba was shocked, so shocked that for a moment, her original personality took over before being overtaken once more. Why the hell did Spider-Man know her name? If he knew who she was, then he could track her down and...“No no NO!” She fired another wave at the two figures. The female one leapt out of the way while Spider-Man, still reeling from shock, was sent flying out the window.

Ren flew out the window of the skyscraper and began falling to his demise. Realizing he had to act fast, he desperately shot a webline to the building’s side, sticking and coming to a halt.

Now that he had a moment to think, he realized how much trouble this could be. A villain was living in the same house as Sojiro and Futaba! And it was Futaba’s mother! How the hell was he going to explain this!? And how was he supposed to reveal it without exposing his secret life to Sojiro!?

Realizing that right now, Mitsuru was fighting Wakaba by herself, he knew he had to get back up there. He made a mad dash up the side of the building, clearing each floor in under a second. When he finally reached the broken window at the top floor, he swung in through the hole once more.

As he looked up at the scene in the hall, he saw Mitsuru being held by her throat by Wakaba. Mitsuru’s skin turned black and her long hair became white for a moment before returning to their normal appearance. For a moment, Ren thought that whatever Wakaba had tried to do had failed.

Wakaba released her from her grasp and calmly walked to the elevator.

“Cat! What are you doing? Stop her!”

Mitsuru only stood still before slowly turning towards Ren. She looked normal except for her blank expression and her eyes. Upon opening them, Ren saw that her sclera had turned black and her pupils were now glowing white dots.

“C-Cat?” Ren asked, afraid of what she might do.

Suddenly Mitsuru’s mouth curved up in a sadistic ‘Cheshire Cat-like’ grin and she flexed her fingertips, extending her claws. Mitsuru lunged forward at Ren and began swiping with the latter barely managing to dodge.

“Mitsuru! You’ve got to fight this!” Ren pleaded before being slashed across the chest. Those claws definitely weren’t just for show, Ren’s bleeding chest was a testament to that.

Mitsuru only let out a maniacal cackle as she swiped once more. Ren managed to catch the claw and flip her over onto the floor, webbing her hand for good measure.

This didn’t do much to stop her however, she just clawed herself free with her other hand and continued to lunge at Ren. Her speed and skill made her move like no opponent Ren had ever faced, it was shocking to Ren that Mitsuru had no actual powers. It was clear to him that he was completely outmatched in terms of fighting prowess, the only way he had a chance against her was to play to his strengths.

Power and range, that was how he had to play this. He switched one webshooter to rapid fire while keeping the other classic. A barrage of web bullets shot at Mitsuru who managed to claw them out of the air with shocking speed. To further add to her intimidation, she licked her lips menacingly at Ren.

It was at this point that Ren wanted to turn invisible, but his powers seemed to fail him, possibly because of how nervous he was in this situation. One wrong move and he could possibly kill his friend, or the much more likely case, be killed by her.

“Mitsuru please! Remember who you are! You’re not a villain anymore! You were Narukami’s partner! A hero! What would he think if he saw you now!?”

“Narukami’s dead.” Mitsuru finally spoke, her voice taunting the young hero. “You can ask him in a minute!” She swiped at him again, catching his leg with her claws.

“But his legacy lives on with us! You and me! Continuing the fight that he died fighting! What happened to putting away the guys responsible for that? What about Shido?” Ren tossed a potted plant at Mitsuru.

The thief rolled out of the way. “I’ll kill Shido after I kill you! Then I’m done with this ‘hero’ shit!” She reached for Ren’s face with her claws, but Ren ducked out of the way. Her claws dug into the metal elevator door.

Ren looked up from his position on the ground and saw an opportunity. “Sorry about this Cat.” Ren said as he placed his hand on the door and activated his venom blast. The blue electricity traveled up the door and into Mitsuru’s claws sending the high voltage shock into her body.

Mitsuru screamed out in pain before collapsing to the floor unconscious. Ren laid back on the floor, exhausted both physically and emotionally. What a day, he just wanted to get back to Leblanc and…

“Leblanc! Wakaba! Oh god! She got away!” Ren realized that this day wasn’t nearly over.

He had to make a call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the next chapter out sooner than normal. Hope you guys like it! Mitsuru's turning out to be a really fun character to write. Do you guys want to see more of her? Let me know what characters you guys want to see in the future, any Persona game works and I plan on incorporating more characters from the other games, but not if I can't naturally fit them into the story. Tell me what you think in the comments!


	47. Chapter 47

[66]

Futaba heard her phone ringing next to her as she sat at her computer. Checking the caller I.D. showed that it was Ren, no doubt calling back to talk about their conversation earlier, the one in which she had chickened out of talking about her mom.

Futaba contemplated answering the phone before realizing she wasn’t ready to talk about this yet. She let the phone stop ringing and resumed her work, only for it to start up once more.

“Ugh! I’m not ready to talk yet!” Futaba shut off her phone, wanting to escape social interaction for a few hours.

“I just need time!”

Across the city, in the part of Shibuya that hadn’t been blown up, Ann Takamaki had just started her 5 minute break from her modeling shoot. This shoot was going to be big, the biggest gig she’d gotten yet! She was going to be on the cover of Vague magazine! Well, her and a few other girls, but this was huge! She couldn’t wait to tell the others.

Speaking of which, as she sat down, she noticed that she had a missed call from Ren. Seeing as she had the time now, she decided to call him back. He picked up after one ring.

“Hey Ren you’ll never belie-”

“ANN! Thank god! I need your help!” He sounded out of breath and hurt.

“Are you okay!? You sound awful.”

“Ann there’s no time. Where are you!?”

“Shibuya, why?” Ann was concerned now.

“Great! I need you to get to Leblanc right now!” Ren said.

Ann looked around for anyone listening before whispering back. “I’m kind of in the middle of something right now. Can it wait?”

“Ann, this is an emergency! Futaba and Sojiro could be in real danger! I already tried getting in touch with Futaba but she turned off her phone, Yusuke is on the other side of the city and Ryuji is out of town with his mom! You need to warn them, tell them to run!”

“Okay give me a sec.” Realizing the importance of the situation, Ann knew she had to act. Leaping from her seat, she ran over to the nearest person she could find. “Mika!” Ann shouted to her fellow model. “Tell the producers something came up! I have to go!” Mika gave Ann a smile and a thumbs up as Ann ran out the door.

Hopping onto the nearest subway, Ann attempted to call Futaba, only for it to go straight to voicemail. “Dammit!” She said under her breath as the train took off to Yongen.

Meanwhile, Ren set the unconscious Black Cat on a rooftop far from the Shido Sciences building. Hopefully, when she woke up, Mitsuru would be back to her normal self. Ren grabbed his phone and dialed another number.

“Naoto!”

“What’s the situation?”

“The person causing the random crimespree! I know who it is!” Ren said as he swung towards Yongen.

“What!? Who is it?”

“Her name is Wakaba Isshiki. She’s an employee at Shido Sciences and she’s Futaba Sakura’s mother. I don’t know how, but she’s got some kind of mind control power! She made Black Cat attack me!”

“Are you alright?” Naoto sounded genuinely concerned.

“A few scrapes, but I’ll live. Look, I think she might be headed back to Leblanc, I’ve gotta stop her!”

“I can’t arrest her without proof Ren. If we don’t have a positive I.D., my hands are tied.”

Ren thought about it for a moment. “What about Sojiro and Futaba? If they’re suspected targets, then you could hold them for protection, right?”

“If they’re willing, yes. You really think she’d attack her own family?”

“I don’t know, but what I do know is that I don’t want them anywhere near this. Those two are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, I’d die before I let her hurt them.”

“Do they know?”

As Ren continued to swing, he let out a sigh. “About her? No. It’ll crush them when they find out, Futaba especially. I don’t care if she hates me for what I have to do, I just need her to be safe.”

“...”

“Naoto?”

“Sorry, it’s just...You sound so much like him.” 

Ren grimaced, knowing exactly who she meant. “It’ll be fine Naoto. I’ll be safe, I promise.”

He heard a small sniffle from the other end. “You’d better.”

Ms. Negative could feel her grip on Wakaba slipping, she’d overexerted herself and needed time to recharge. As much as she hated it, if she wanted to exact her revenge, she had to relinquish control before she collapsed in the street.

The photo negative villainess exited the Shido Sciences building and ran into an alleyway a few blocks away, leaning on a dumpster while breathing heavily as her light flickered and began to fade. Concentrating the last of her power into her fingertip, she burned her other half a message into the wall for when she woke up.

With her message complete and her body exhausted from overuse, she sunk into the back of her host’s mind to regain her energy. “See ya soon roomie.” She said to herself.

When Wakaba Isshiki came to her senses, she was standing in an alleyway. Where? She had no clue, but she knew it was the fault of her alter ego. What had she done this time? The last thing she remembered was running into the therapist on the street corner…Oh god.

Did she kill him? In broad daylight!? This was bad, this was really really bad. The migraines, they were becoming more and more frequent. Growing at a rate exponentially faster than before, why did she come back here? This was a terrible idea! She should’ve just written Futaba a letter explaining everything rather than risk hers and thousands of other lives by coming here.

Wakaba’s breathing became ragged as her heart raced like crazy, she was breaking into a cold sweat and the alleyway felt like it was spinning. She slid down the brick wall behind her and hugged her knees.

“What am I gonna do?” Tears welled up in Wakaba’s eyes. She felt like a scared child, alone and afraid of what she didn’t understand. “Maybe it’d be for the best if I just...No I couldn’t do that to Futaba, not without her understanding.”

As her thoughts drifted towards her daughter, her next course of action became clear to her. She had to confess to them, Sojiro and Futaba, tell them everything. What she had done, what had been done to her, all of it. From there, she would figure out what came next.

Looking up at the sky, she checked to see how late in the day it was, she’d presumably been her alter ego for hours. Who knew how much she’d gotten into? Her view was clouded however by the overcast sky, it looked like there would be a downpour tonight.

When her gaze fell back to her surroundings, she noticed the wall across from her. Seemingly burned into the brick wall across from her was a message, recognizably written in her own handwriting. 

The message consisted of a single ominous word that sent panic back into Wakaba’s body.

“HIDE.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long break. I lost motivation to write for a while, there's a lot going on right now. Not like anything bad, just distracting stuff. Anyways I should be back now for a while, I'm at least going to power through this arc. I'm a bit disappointed that I'm only getting this out now as I'd hoped to be further on in the story and hopefully put out a Halloween arc on Halloween, which as of writing this, is today. So expect a Halloween arc in the future, if you need a point of reference, it's currently August in the story, so it'll be a while. BTW, I don't know if Halloween is actually much of a thing in Japan, but I know they are aware of it so I'll just roll with it like it's American Halloween. Happy Halloween everyone!


	48. Chapter 48

[67]

The night sky above Tokyo opened up to release a heavy rain onto Wakaba’s head. The scientist stood outside of the Sakura household, preparing for the worst. She’d snuck all the way back to Yongen Jaya on foot, avoiding contact with everyone out of fear of revealing herself.

She took a deep breath before entering the house, sliding open the door only to find that every light in the house was off.

“Futaba?” She called, trying to find her daughter. “Sojiro?” No response came.

Wakaba ran through the house, searching frantically through every room to find them. Growing evermore concerned, Wakaba ran out of the house to Leblanc in hopes of finding them there,

When she reached the cafe, she could immediately tell it was empty due to the lack of lights on and the closed sign on the door. She entered regardless and searched the kitchen and attic for any sign of them to no avail.

...They knew. They had to know. Why else would they be gone without a trace? This was bad. Wakaba had wanted to tell them the truth, but from what they’d undoubtedly heard about her by now, they must think she’s a monster.

What was there left to do now? It seemed now that she had no one and nothing left in this world. Dark thoughts began to creep back into her mind once more, but before they could advance any further, Wakaba spotted the bright yellow rotary phone on the counter. 

Her next move was clear.

Ren Amamiya stood in the police station in his civilian clothes, pacing in front of the counter for someone to speak to him. They weren’t letting him speak to Sojiro or Futaba as he wasn’t technically a member of the family. The lack of communication frustrated him to no end and he considered going in any way just to make sure that they were alright.

Ann had told him that she’d given the Sakura’s what info Ren had on Wakaba, that she was the one behind yesterday’s attacks and the riot earlier today and that she had some kind of weird negative powers. In all honesty, Ren didn’t know much more than they did, but he knew she was dangerous and had to be kept away.

Ren’s worn out red sneakers squeaked as he continued to pace in the lobby when finally a figure stepped out into the room. It was the Detective Queen herself, Naoto Shirogane. As she entered the room to speak to him, he realized that this was the first time in a while that they’d met in person. Her arm was finally out of the sling from Vulture dropping her and he noticed her hair had grown out a bit, now reaching her lower neck.

“Sorry about the wait, we have protocols and forms that need to be filled out before visitors are allowed.” Naoto apologized to Ren.

“It’s fine. How are they?” Ren immediately questioned.

“Confused more than anything, luckily they’re willing to stay here for the time being. However, if they choose to leave, we can’t stop them.”

“That’s good enough, thank you.” Ren said as he followed her to the room the Sakura’s were sitting in.

When they entered the room, Sojiro immediately stood up when he saw Ren. Futaba meanwhile, was sulking in the corner, covered by her large green jacket, staring at her phone.

“Kid! There you are! You want to explain just what the hell is going on? One of your friends comes into the cafe telling us Wakaba is some kind of...super villain and that we need to go into police protection!? You’d better explain yourself right now!” Sojiro demanded.

“Boss...This is kinda hard to explain buuut…” Ren considered telling his guardian the whole truth. “I was there. At the protest in Shinjuku, things started to get crazy and that’s when I saw Wakaba. She looked different, she was glowing and had this sadistic grin, but I saw her face. It was her.”

It wasn’t the truth in its entirety, but it was true. Ren looked up at Sojiro, who had an unreadable expression, before he continued.

“She made the crowd lose it, she caused the riot. I don’t know how but she can manipulate people’s minds. Please Sojiro, I know it’s hard to believe, but please, if you have even the slightest bit of doubt about Wakaba, please stay here where it’s safe.”

Sojiro stared Ren down with his arms crossed, his eyes dead serious. Ren met the expression with his own stare, trying to convey to him that he was telling the truth. Finally Sojiro relented, releasing a sigh before taking a seat.

“Fine kid. We’ll stay the night.”

Ren released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, only to jump in surprise when the door behind him opened. It was another police officer, he turned to Naoto before he spoke.

“Uh Detective? The captain is asking for you in his office.

“In a minute officer.” Naoto dismissed the man.

“Um, he said it’s urgent. Really urgent.” His eyes turned in the direction of Sojiro and Futaba before returning to Naoto.

Picking up on the message immediately, Naoto moved towards the door. Before she exited she turned to Ren.

“Stay here.”

As Naoto exited the room, she walked past the officer who’d retrieved her and made haste towards the captain’s office. When she entered the room, she saw it was (as usual) filled with smoke from the captain’s cigarette.

The police captain sat at his desk with his phone to his ear before he saw Naoto open the door. Upon her entering, he set the phone down and put it on speaker.

“Now I want you to repeat what you said to me earlier ma’am.” The captain’s gruff voice stated.

The voice on the other end sighed before speaking. 

“My name is Wakaba Isshiki.” Came a feminine voice on the other end.

“And I’d like to turn myself in...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Approaching the end of the arc now. Hope it's been a good one for you all. A lot more character driven than the past ones in my opinion. What's been your guys' favorite arc so far? Favorite villain? Let me know in the comments.


	49. Chapter 49

[68]

Wakaba sat in the back of a police riot vehicle with her hands cuffed behind her and 6 armored officers aiming their weapons at her. She had agreed to confess to her crimes and enter police custody willingly under one condition, that she got to speak to Sojiro and Futaba Sakura face to face before her incarceration.

“So you’re the one who caused the crime spree in Yongen last night?” One of the officers asked, their voice muffled behind the mask. “Did you know 4 officers died that night?” Their tone became aggressive.

Wakaba merely looked down. “I’m sorry.” She said in a hushed tone.

“You’re sorry!?” They stomped on the floor. “The one you brainwashed couldn’t bear what he’d done and took his own life! He had 3 kids! They lost their father and you’re sorry!? You don’t get to be!” 

“HEY!” The officer next to them shouted. “Calm. Down. We have a job to do. She’ll face justice. If you pull anything, I’ll have you court martialed.”

The aggressive officer growled before lowering their weapon.

When they finally reached the holding area, Wakaba was escorted through the halls to the cell she would be held at until her transportation to The Raft. As they walked through the facility she noticed a hall which was closed off for reconstruction.

When the guards escorting her finally came to a stop, she was standing in front of a small bench attached to the wall and a toilet next to it. They pushed her forward towards the bench and made her take a seat. When she was seated, the guards stepped away before signalling to a camera.

The floor around the cell made a low pitched humming noise as thick glass slowly rose from the floor until it reached the ceiling completely surrounding and trapping Wakaba. The first thing she noticed was the silence, now she was unable to hear anything in this cell, almost like she was wearing noise cancelling headphones. The dead silence of the cell seemed like punishment in and of itself.

She deserved it, she deserved everything she was getting and more. If she could get her one request, then she was willing to bear it all.

Futaba’s veins ran cold as she was escorted through the facility. It was scary here, not because it looked dangerous, but more because it didn’t. The walls of this place were a stark white with absolutely nothing on them. The hum of the lights was constant and was the only noise across the facility.

She held tightly onto Sojiro’s arm as they were escorted through the long empty halls by a guard. Her mom had only agreed to come quietly because she wanted to speak to her. This was all too much, it was just this morning that they were all sitting at the Leblanc counter, eating breakfast together.

This couldn’t be real, right? Her mom wasn’t a criminal, she was a scientist who travelled the country helping to establish renewable energy sources. Her grip on Sojiro’s arm tightened and he placed his free hand on her head to console her. 

As the two of them rounded a corner, they reached a glass container, within which sat her mother. Wakaba Isshiki sat on a small bench with her head down, her eyes obscured by her hair.

“MOM!” Futaba ran up and placed her hands on the glass. However, Wakaba had no reaction, seemingly unable to hear her.

“Young lady, remove your hands from the glass at once.” The guard ordered Futaba while reaching for his baton.

Futaba complied and slowly stepped away from the container back into Sojiro’s arms.

The guard turned to Sojiro before speaking once again. “You have 5 minutes to speak with her. After that amount of time, all further communication will be cut off and you will be escorted off the premises. Do you understand?”

“Yes. I understand.” Sojiro replied.

“And you, young lady, do you understand?”

“Yes,” Futaba wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Yes, I understand.”

“Alright.” The guard walked over to the wall and slid open a panel to reveal a phone on the wall, the kind one would see at a payphone. He pressed a button beneath the phone before holding it up to his ear.

Futaba turned to the inside of the cell and saw Wakaba suddenly look up from the floor, seemingly startled by a noise. When she looked outside and saw her daughter and Sojiro, a large smile graced Wakaba’s face. She’d been crying, Futaba noticed, the tear stains were still on her cheeks and her eyes were red. Wakaba pressed her hand against the glass and used the other to wipe her face, overwhelmed by the emotions she was feeling.

“Prisoner 086, remove your hand from the glass and pick up the phone!” Came the voice of the guard on their end. Wakaba seemingly heard him too as she began searching around her cell only to see a small panel emerge from the wall with a matching phone on her end.

Wakaba picked up the phone and held it to her ear before the guard repeated his question from earlier to her. Futaba watched as her mother spoke into the phone before Sojiro was handed the phone.

Wiping the tears from his own eyes and sniffling his nose, Futaba’s adoptive father spoke into the phone.

“Hey there Wakaba *sniff* we’re um...we’re here.”

“Sojiro,” Came the voice from the other end, loud enough that Futaba could hear it as well. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you, both of you, for so long.” Wakaba paused. “I’m sick. I’m very sick. I have been for years, but I kept it from both of you for your own protection.”

“Wakaba, what are you talking about?” Sojiro asked, anger and sadness present in his tone. “What is all of this about? What did you do?”

Wakaba sighed before taking a seat on the bench. “There was an accident at work 8 years ago. We were experimenting with dark matter, testing its capabilities and potential uses. One day in the lab, something went very *sigh* very wrong, and I was exposed to the raw dark matter.”

As she spoke Wakaba held up her hand and her pale skin shifted in color to a glowing black.

“Afterwards, I was left...different than before. They kept me for study for months, that was that summer where I told you we had a breakthrough and they needed me to stay indefinitely.”

Sojiro’s face was shocked at seeing Wakaba’s powers for the first time, Futaba as well but she merely turned and clung to Sojiro.

“I-I remember that day.” Sojiro managed to get out. “Futaba had wanted us to go to Destinyland together, she was heartbroken when you said you weren’t coming.”

“I’m so sorry Futaba.” Wakaba spoke directly to her daughter. Futaba looked up from Sojiro’s side to see her mother giving her a sad smile, more tears were running down her cheeks. “I wanted to be there more than anything, but it was dangerous. And I couldn’t dare to risk your safety.”

“So how...how did you come back to us?” Futaba finally spoke into the phone, her voice cracking as she spoke.

“The scientists experimenting on me created a drug, one that could suppress my powers for a time. That was why I was able to visit, but never for long. It lost its effect over time. This trip...It was going to be my last week with you before they began more ‘drastic’ measures.”

“Dr-Drastic measures? What do you mean?” 

“Surgery. Intensive, life threatening surgery. Possible lobotomies. Whatever it took to find what made me tick. On the off chance I lived and was cured, I could retire and go back to you both. But the odds, they didn’t look good. So I managed to convince them to give me one more week with you all.”

“Wakaba…” Sojiro was stunned at the revelation.

“...Or so I thought.” Wakaba continued, surprising them both. “I don’t understand why, but something happened when they let me out. The drug they were supposed to give me was a fake. And when I began to change, I tried to call for help, but Shido Sciences ceased all communication with me.” She stared back at the ground.

“I think…” She spoke again. “I think they wanted all of this to happen. I think they wanted my condition to take over and for me to do all of this. Why? I still don’t understand, but it makes me think. Maybe what happened to me 8 years ago wasn’t an accident, that thought has been rattling around in my head for some time now and I think it may be true.”

“You have one minute remaining.” The guard spoke from across the hall.

Panic rose on Wakaba’s face as her time was running out. “Futaba! Futaba honey look at me!” The woman ran over to the glass and placed her free hand on the barrier separating them.

Sojiro handed his daughter the phone. Futaba wiped the tears from her eyes and placed her hand over her mother’s from the other side of the glass.

“Sweetie, I love you more than anything in the whole world. I want you to know that. I’m sorry that my mistakes kept us apart, even long before my condition. You mean the world to me and I’m just so, so sorry that I couldn’t be there when you needed me to be. You and Sojiro, you’re gonna be alright without me. And I know you’re gonna do great things when you grow up.”

“M-M-Mom…” Futaba’s tears were pouring uncontrollably now.

“Sojiro.” Wakaba addressed her best friend and her daughter’s guardian. Futaba held the phone out so he could hear. “I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything, Wakaba.”

“I need you to keep Futaba safe. Something is coming and I don’t want her having any part of it. You keep her safe no matter what. Got it?”

“Of course Wakaba.”

“Good. There’s one last thing I need you both to hear. One more secret I’ve kept even longer than my condition. It’s about your father, Futaba.”

“M-My father?”

“Yes. I’m ashamed to tell you this, but I need there to be no more secrets.” Wakaba’s face became dead serious.

“Your father is Masayoshi Shido.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right! Futaba and Goro are half-siblings. Hope you liked that twist, it'll carry some weight further on in the story. Also hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. This might be the most dialogue heavy chapter I've written, I really wanted to convey the tragedy of the situation and everyone's feelings in this chapter. Also, don't expect this arc to go out on a whimper, there's still more to come...Until next time!


	50. Chapter 50

[69]

It’d been 30 minutes since Futaba and Sojiro left, forcefully escorted off the premises by the guards. Wakaba sat alone in her cell, replaying her last conversation with them. It hurt, telling them the truth after all these years of lying, she was reminded of the terrible things she’d done in her life. She truly was a monster, not just the other side of her that killed for sport, but this self, her real self, had done terrible things long before she was Ms. Negative.

Speaking of the devil, Wakaba could feel her other half pushing for control of her mind once more. Her regenerative period was over now, so she once again wanted to come out. Wakaba’s headache was growing stronger by the second as she watched her hands change to black. But this time, she didn’t fight it, she let Ms. Negative take over because Wakaba knew that she’d already won.

Ms. Negative stretched as she woke up, surprised by how easy it was this time. Maybe Wakaba was finally learning her place in their relationship and wasn’t going to give her any more headaches while waking up.

Upon finishing her stretch, the negative villainess examined the area around her. White walls everywhere. Where was she? Why was it so quiet? She got up to walk around, only to smack directly into a glass wall in front of her.

“What the hell!?” She held her hands against the glass before pounding on it with her fists. “NO! NO! NO! Wakaba, you bitch!” She continued slamming against her containment.

From the control room of the facility, a guard sat with his feet up, watching the screens displaying the prisoners. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement on one of the cameras. Checking the feed from that cell, he saw a strange looking woman pounding against the walls of her containment.

He let out a chuckle as he watched the woman struggle, there was no wifi here, so this was the closest he got to entertainment during work. The woman herself was interesting, they got a lot of strange prisoners here on their way to The Raft, Rhino men, guys with wings, and your regular run of the mill freaks, but no one who looked like her.

He watched as the woman shot some kind of beam from her hands at the glass, to no effect. Huh, that was new. He hadn’t seen anyone do that before. But, as usual the glass held, so he didn’t worry about it too much.

After a few more minutes of attacking the glass, the woman walked to the center of her cell, seemingly giving up.

“Hey, don’t worry about it champ, you’ll get it next time.” The guard joked to himself, planting his feet back up on the console.

He continued to watch the woman’s screen. She was standing perfectly still now, for a moment, he wondered if the camera had frozen. That couldn’t be the case however as the time on screen kept ticking.

He leaned in closer towards the screen as the woman’s arms began shaking, glowing brighter and brighter over time.

“What the fu-”

His sentence was interrupted as the screen flashed white shortly before cutting to static. At the same time he heard a bang from outside of the control room, followed by the sound of glass hitting the ground.

“SHIT!” He yelled as fell out of his seat. “Shitshitshitshitshitshitshit!” He got off of the ground and pressed a button on his console, setting off the alarm. He stuck his keys into the weapon locker before quickly grabbing a rifle loaded with rubber bullets.

As he ran out into the hallway, he was met with smoke filling the hallways, Seeing a silhouette advancing towards him, he trained his weapon on the target.

“F-Freeze! Get on the ground and put your hands behind your head!”

However, to his surprise, more silhouettes appeared from out of the smoke, approaching him at high speed. Emerging from the smoke, several guards sprinted towards him at full speed. Their pupils noticeably glowed white in their otherwise black eyes.

The other guards tackled him against a wall, pinning him and forcing his weapon away. Now unable to move, the guard was forced to watch as the woman from the video approached him, confidence in her stride as she emerged from the smoke.

“Oh, poor baby.” The woman taunted as he struggled to get free. “Did the mean guards hurt you? Here, let me kiss it all better.”

“No! No, please no!” 

But it was too late as she leaned in and planted a forceful kiss on his lips and the guard felt his control over his body begin to leave him.

[70]

Ren sat at the counter in Leblanc, his untouched cup of coffee growing colder in front of him. Sojiro stood behind the counter, absentmindedly wiping down the dishes while Futaba sat in one of the booths, hugging her knees as she sat silently. The only sound that could be heard in the cafe was the rain that was pouring heavily against the windows. 

Normally, around this time, Futaba and Sojiro would be at home, Futaba watching anime and Sojiro asleep while Ren would be up in his room, exercising or doing maintenance on his gear. However, after today’s events, no one felt much like following their routine. Instead, the trio chose to sit in silence, just coming to terms with what’d happened earlier that same day.

Ren couldn’t help but feel guilty, like he’d ripped this family apart, after all they’d done for him. Sure, it’d been Wakaba who had chosen to turn herself in and yes, she had committed violent criminal acts, but she was still a beloved mother and family member, and Ren couldn’t help but feel that he’d played a part in things coming to this.

Realizing how late it was getting, he decided to head up to his room for the night. Before he reached the stairs, he remembered something important. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a thin card as well as a torn plastic bag containing the locks from Akihabara before presenting them to Sojiro.

“Here, I nearly forgot to give you these.” He held out the items.

As he looked over to Ren, seemingly snapping out of a spell, Sojiro accepted the items. “Oh right. Forgot I gave you that.” He said, putting them away. “Thanks.”

Ren nodded in response before bringing his bag upstairs with him. He shut the door behind him and tossed his bag onto the floor before sitting down on his bed, the old wood creaking beneath him. He removed his shirt and checked on the wound he’d received from Mitsuru earlier, it was healed now, but the skin was still pink and stung to touch. It looked like he was going to have another scar to add to the collection.

He sighed as he laid his head down on the pillow, glancing over to the futon that Yusuke had been staying on until recently. Despite the fact that his former roommate frequently bugged him with his talk of aesthetics and capturing emotions, Ren wished he could be here to lighten the tension in the air a bit.

As he shut his eyes to go to sleep, he was interrupted by the sound of his phone buzzing from within his bag. For a moment, he considered ignoring it, waiting until tomorrow to deal with whatever it was. But that wouldn’t be the right thing to do, a voice in his head reminded him. That wasn’t what Spider-Man would do.

Ren opened his eyes and began digging through his bag, searching for the buzzing phone. Throwing his costume and spare clothes from his bag, he found the device right before it stopped ringing. He pressed the answer button and held it up to his ear without even checking who it was.

“Hello?” He asked the caller on the other end.

“Ren!” The voice of Naoto Shirogane yelled from the other end. “Where are you!? We need you in Shujin right now!”

“What’s going on?” He asked the detective, his voice concerned.

“It’s Wakaba! She’s gotten loose!”

‘Oh god.’ Ren thought to himself as he dropped the phone. He rushed over to his costume and pulled it on as fast as he could, ignoring the torn bits on his chest for the time being.

As he finished pulling the mask over his face, he was already out the window and into the cold rain of the night.

He arrived in Shujin not long after, it was easy to tell where he needed to go as he followed the smoke that was rising in the air as well as the sound of gunshots. As he landed on the street where the gunfight was taking place, he saw Naoto taking cover behind a squad car.

“Good, you’re here.” She said, relieved to see him. “Take care of Isshiki, we can handle the cronies.” Was all she needed to say before Ren took off in search of the villain.

Meanwhile, at Leblanc, Sojiro was finishing up washing the dishes before he and Futaba went home for some much needed rest. Without thinking, he went to turn off the TV before realizing it was already off. As soon as it turned on, and before Sojiro could shut it off again, the news began playing, showing a gunfight on the streets of Shibuya.

The news anchor covered the report as a helicopter captured the footage from above, what captured Sojiro’s attention the most though, was the text at the bottom of the screen.

“Random Tokyo citizens involved in a gunfight with police, suspected to be under the influence of mind controlling villain.”

“Wakaba…” Sojiro said under his breath. Knowing in his heart that this was her work. Before he could hide it from Futaba, she was already behind him, reading the report for herself, she turned to him with a determined look on her face.

Back in Shibuya, Ren was dealing with the various rampaging citizens looting the various shops around them. Quickly webbing them to the wall with his rapid fire, he searched for the woman behind all of this. No quips, no jokes, no banter, tonight it was all business for Ren.

As he rounded a corner, rainwater splashing beneath him, he finally saw her. Glowing black and white as she converted another citizen to her followers, here Wakaba was in all her villainous glory. Before she could release the man out onto the city, he was dragged by a web over to Ren and punched in the face, knocking him out cold.

The masked hero and the negative villainess stood facing one another, the rain pouring down on them hard. Under his mask, Ren was scowling at the woman who had betrayed her city, her daughter, her family. Looking at the smiling villainess before him, Ren could feel nothing but contempt for this woman.

“Come back for a rematch Spider-Man? You’re lucky I don’t have any more windows to throw you out of.”

Ren didn’t respond to her, he only clenched his fists angrily. He charged forward at her, prepared to take her down. His spider sense buzzed and he rolled out of the way of a blast, not missing a beat, he continued to charge forward.

Ms. Negative planted her hands on the ground and a black wave rippled across the wet road. Ren leapt over the wave, taking this opportunity in the air to attack her from above. He shot a webline to either side of her and pulled himself down quickly, landing a kick squarely in her chest.

Wakaba was sent tumbling back from the kick, hurt but not knocked down. Losing her earlier bravado, her face became serious and she charged up her fists for another attack. Ren didn’t give her the chance however, he leapt in with a punch to her face followed up by two weblines to her arms.

However, before Ren could pull her towards him, Wakaba grabbed the weblines and sent her power coursing through them. The black energy quickly made its way up the webs and directly into Ren’s hands. The resulting explosion sent him flying through a shop window, the glass cutting into his back as he landed.

Too hopped up on adrenaline to feel the pain, he quickly leapt back out onto the street. Examining his webshooters, Ren could tell at a glance that they were out of commission.

Ms. Negative smiled once more as Ren climbed out of the shop. “Looks like I did find a window to throw you through.” She released another burst of energy she’d been preparing towards Ren.

The vigilante rolled out of the way, when he tried to get up, he was surprised when his body struggled against him. Like a tidal wave, he was hit by the sudden realization of how exhausted his body was. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and he’d been fighting crime since this morning.

As he was rocked by a metaphorical wave of exhaustion, he was soon after struck by a literal wave of dark energy that threw him hard into a fire hydrant on the sidewalk. As his back came in contact with the metal hydrant, he heard several bones crack throughout his body, his vision flashed white for a moment, and all of the air was knocked out of his lungs.

Wakaba strode over to the injured hero, trying and failing to pick himself up off of the ground. Choking as he tried to take in breath, Ren pulled up the bottom half of his mask to try to breathe. When the villain reached him, he was unable to do anything to stop her as she stomped on one of his legs and grabbed his head, tearing the mask off of his face.

“Hmmm, oh! I know you! Or rather, Wakaba does. You’re that delinquent boy staying at Leblanc. Small world, huh? Do Sojiro and Futaba know about this? If not, I’d love to be the one to tell them.”

“P-Please.” Ren managed to get out between ragged breaths. “Don’t *wheeze* don’t do this.”

“What, is Mr. Hero afraid to die? Don’t you know? That’s what heroes do.” As Wakaba prepared to end the teenage boy, a light shined in the corner of her eyes.

Ren saw the light too, thinking that it was death coming to welcome him, he thought about everything that had led him up to this point. He had so many regrets, so much he still wanted to do. He was scared. Was this how Narukami felt when he was dying?

The light shining on them wasn’t divine in nature, rather they were the headlights of Sojiro Sakura’s Porsche 356. The car came to a screeching halt against the street and two figures immediately hopped out of the vehicle.

“Mom! Please, don’t do this!” Futaba shouted over the rain.

For a moment, Ms. Negative’s look of triumph faltered as she looked at her daughter. Her colors flashed back to normal for a moment before returning to the negative look.

“Wakaba! You can beat this! You’re the strongest person I know! Fight it!”

“I-I can’t fight this!” Wakaba struggled as she began flashing back and forth between normal and negative.

“Yes you can Mom! Please! Do it!”

“Futaba!” Wakaba grasped her head in pain, falling to her knees in pain. Tears began to pour from her eyes, masked by the heavy rain.

Finally, letting out a pained cry, Wakaba changed back to her normal self.

“Mom!” Futaba ran up to her mother, hugging her in her moment of triumph.

That moment was short lived however, as Wakaba turned to the injured Ren on the ground. A pained expression on her face as she held back the villain inside of her. In her pain she only managed to get out two words.

“K-Kill me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit! You wouldn't believe how much writing I got done today! Not just these, but two more chapters as well. (I know on the website it's listed as one chapter but I'm counting the numbers in brackets.) In case you were wondering about those, I do them because it makes navigating my Google Doc a lot easier. The reason I didn't release said chapters is that I still want to mash some story between them and the chapters I just released. Anyways, what an emotional rollercoaster am I right? I don't know, I can't tell how you guys reacted unless you tell me. Arc's getting close to ending soon so I hope you guys have liked this one. Don't expect Ren to just recover from these injuries overnight either, he's hurt really bad. Hope you guys are looking forward to the next installment! Until next time!


	51. Chapter 51

[71]

“Please, it’s the only way.” Wakaba pleaded to the injured hero. “Kill me. Don’t let me hurt anyone else.”

“Mom NO!” Futaba cried out as she attempted to run to her mother, only to be restrained by Sojiro out of concern for her safety.

“Please if you’re going to-AHH!” Wakaba cried out as blue bolts of electricity ran throughout her body. After a few moments, she collapsed to the ground.

Ren coughed heavily as he lowered his hand back down to his side.

“Ren!” Futaba broke free of Sojiro’s grasp and ran over to him. After making sure he was okay, she looked over at Wakaba lying on the ground. “Is...is she-”

“Unconscious.” Ren said before breaking into another fit of coughing. “Futaba, I would never.”

“Ren?”

The pair turned to Sojiro who was standing still, his face obscured by the headlights behind him. 

“Sojiro *cough* I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”

“Don’t talk kid. You’re hurt, we need to get you to a hospital.” Sojiro offered his hand to the boy and helped him up.

“No *cough* not the hospital. I know someone for this kind of thing. Futaba knows where.”

Futaba nodded as she held open the car door while Sojiro set Ren down in the backseat. With Ren in the car now, Futaba turned to her mother, still lying in the rain getting soaked.

“What about Mom?” Futaba asked Sojiro.

From behind them, the sound of sirens nearby indicated that the police would be at the scene within seconds.

“I’m sorry Futaba, but we need to go.” Sojiro quickly decided, getting in the driver’s seat of the car. 

“...Okay.” Without another word, she got in the car, never taking her eyes off the woman on the ground. It hurt to do so, but it was too dangerous to take her with them, she could wake up and kill them with ease if they did. The trio drove off before the police could see them.

Tae Takemi ran from home to her clinic while hurriedly getting dressed along the way. She’d gotten a call 5 minutes ago explaining the situation. Ren was hurt badly and needed immediate medical attention.

Just as she finished unlocking the door, the car pulled up out front.

“Hurry get him in here!” Tae ran inside to begin prepping her equipment.

Sojiro and his daughter came in carrying a seemingly unconscious Ren. Shit. That was a bad sign. They laid him onto the bed and the boy let out a cry of pain before breaking into a coughing fit. Damn. Another bad sign, but at least he was conscious.

“Hand me the scissors.” Tae ordered Futaba, who immediately began scrambling around in search of them, knocking over various items as she did.

While she did that, Tae felt around Ren’s chest, checking for any broken ribs. If he had a pierced lung, they were in big trouble. Luckily, even though they felt damaged, none were clearly broken.

Futaba placed the scissors in Tae’s hand and she quickly cut Ren’s costume off of him, revealing his bruised chest and various cuts. As she turned him over on his side, she saw what was causing him so much pain, shards of glass all across his back cut him deeply. She needed to remove the glass and bandage him up now, or he could bleed out. Luckily, she had plenty of his blood on hand, so they could give him a transfusion now.

Using a pair of tweezers, Takemi removed the glass shards precisely and with incredible speed. Futaba stood by, acting as her nurse, getting whatever she requested as fast as she could. As they finished bandaging the last hole, Takemi spoke for the first time since starting the operation.

“Damn! His spine is healing already.”

“Um, isn’t that a good thing?” Futaba was confused.

“Not the way it is right now. Ren’s back is broken in two different places, if it heals while still unaligned, he may never be able to walk again.”

“What!?” Futaba cried out in shock. “What can we do?”

“If we’re going to repair the malunion...Then we’re going to need to break it again so that we can reset it.”

“WHAT!?”

“I’m not finished.” Takemi interrupted. “I don’t have anything here strong enough to do the job. I need you to run to the secondhand shop and find something strong enough to break it.”

“I…um.”

“GO!” Takemi yelled at her and the girl ran out the clinic door. The doctor then turned to the other person in the room. “You, help me replace his blood bag and tend to his other wounds.”

“Wha-me?” Sojiro questioned.

Meanwhile, Futaba was rapidly knocking on the secondhand shop owner’s door. Unfortunately, the shop wasn’t open at this hour of night, not to mention the heavy rain that was pouring down on the city.

“What in the-” Came the voice of the shop owner. “Young lady do you know what time it is?”

“I’mreallysorrybutit’sanemergencyandIneedsomethingfromyourshoprightnow!”

“Come again?”

Back in the clinic, Sojiro was doing his best to help Tae but was proving to be a lackluster nurse. As he fumbled to give Tae more bandages, the doctor was prepping her patient for the most important part of the surgery, now they just had to wait for-

“I’m back!” Futaba kicked in the door carrying a small canvas bag. She quickly made her way into the back room and held out the bag.

“What’d you bring?” Tae asked the girl.

“Here.” She laid out the bag and two items fell out.

“Perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty short chapter this time, hope you guys don't mind. I just kinda wanted to get one out, not that I'm losing interest, I'm still enjoying writing this quite a lot and from the comments I'm getting, I know you're all enjoying this too. What's coming next? Who knows. See you tomorrow probably.


	52. Chapter 52

[72]

“Come on Futaba! Do you want Ren to be paralyzed forever?” Tae yelled at the crying girl while she held onto Ren’s back.

“I-I can’t!” Futaba cried while holding a hammer in one hand and a chisel to Ren’s spine. “Can’t you do this part?”

“No! I need to hold Ren’s spine in the right position! All you have to do is hit the damn thing! It’s coming down to the wire here Futaba, we need to hurry.”

“Sorry Ren.” She apologized to the unconscious boy before bringing the hammer down…

Only for nothing to happen.

“Futaba! You need to hit it hard! We are running out of time here!”

The girl only cried as she raised the hammer further up and brought it down as hard as she could manage. The hammer struck the chisel with a metallic clap just before the crunching of bone.

“AAAAUUUUGH!” Ren screamed in pain as his spine crunched.

The hammer and chisel clanged against the floor as Futaba ran into Sojiro’s arms. Her father comforted the poor girl as she sobbed into his apron.

As Ren’s screaming died out, the doctor stepped in front of him. “Hey handsome, you awake now?”

“T-T-Takemi?” Ren said as tears rolled down from his eyes. 

“Yep it’s me.” She replied in a calm voice, stroking his hair. “You’ve been a great patient so far. But we’re not done just yet.” She held out a leather belt. “I’m gonna need you to bite on this.”

“Okay. *sniffle* Okay. I can do thish.” He said as he bit down on the belt.

“That’s my strong little guinea pig.” She reassured him as she stepped behind him. “Alright Futaba, ready for-”

“No!” Futaba’s muffled voice came from Sojiro’s chest.

“Futaba, you have to. My hands aren’t steady enough for the job.” Sojiro told his daughter as he patted her head.

“B-But Sojiro!”

“Futaba!” Ren cried out, spitting the belt from his mouth. “I trust you! Do what you need to!”

“R-Ren…” Futaba turned to the hero.

Takemi walked over and placed the belt back in Ren’s mouth before getting into position with her hands on Ren’s spine.

Futaba hesitantly picked up the tools and got into position as well. Placing the chisel in the indicated position on Ren’s back and wiping the tears from her eyes, she held the hammer high.

The hammer clanged against the metal and the sickening crunch followed once again soon after.

“AAAAAAAHHHH!” Ren cried out once again.

Takemi quickly took the opportunity to realign his vertebrae and he cried out again.

“Okay,” Takemi clapped her hands together. “We’re done.”

The room was completely silent, save for Ren’s quiet sobbing. Takemi silently stroked his hair while standing over him. The sight was a bit strange for Sojiro and Futaba, who had never seen a doctor this close to a patient, it made one wonder.

Sojiro let out an uncomfortable cough which seemed to snap Tae out of her trance.

“Oh right, I’ll have to supervise him for the night, but he should be out of the woods now. However, if he’s going to make a full recovery he’ll need about a week of bed rest. Oh, and he’ll also need this.” Takemi walked over to the closet and dug around for a bit before pulling out a large white item that seemed to be a mix of metal and plastic.

“No, absolutely not.” Ren intervened, trying and failing to look up. “I am not wearing that.”

“Too bad pretty boy. We need to keep your spine aligned while it heals. So wear the back brace for a few days and you’ll be back to your old self in no time.”

“Goddammit, Ryuji’s gonna have a field day with this.”

[73]

The press swarmed outside the Shido Sciences building, everyone trying to get the exclusive on the events that’d transpired earlier that day. Like moths drawn to a flame, the media rushed to the building’s front doors in hopes of creating a story that would attract attention online. Just behind them were the social media ‘influencers’ trying to take the best selfie that they could and hopefully get on the local news.

Goro Akechi was disgusted with all of them. He couldn’t stand the sight of these vultures making a living on the suffering of others. Though, one could argue that he was here as well, and seeing that he worked for the media, wouldn’t that make him a hypocrite? However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Akechi wasn’t here to cover the riot from that morning, he was here to get the real story.

You see, with the villain attack inside, a large number of staff and security were dead or hospitalized, leaving the Shido Sciences building currently with a skeleton crew. There would be no better time to investigate the innerworkings of Japan’s top tech business. And luckily for Akechi, he had a mole on the inside.

As he stood outside of the emergency exit in the back, Goro tapped his foot and glanced at his watch once more, nearly 11pm. He adjusted the hood of his jacket, ensuring that his face was covered. Finally, the light above the exit shut off and a few moments later, a middle-aged man with glasses and a lab coat opened the door for him.

“About time.” Goro stated as he entered the building.

Yoshikuni Nejima was a scientist who’d been working at the main Shido Sciences building for nearly 5 years now. Goro had met him several months ago after some interesting photographs had made their way to the man’s doorstep. Wanting to keep his marriage intact, Nejima had wisely accepted Akechi’s offer and became his man on the inside.

That deal was paying off for Akechi in spades now as the scientist allowed him entry into the nearly empty facility. Finally, he had the inside scoop on what that monster otherwise known as Masayoshi Shido was developing behind closed doors. With their deal now complete, Nejima handed Goro his keycard and ran off to keep up the appearance of working, giving Akechi free reign of the place.

With nearly the entire building to himself, Goro felt like a kid in a candy store! Shido Sciences was notorious for keeping an extremely tight lid on what they developed in their facilities across the country, and here he was with a golden ticket to the chocolate factory.

The reason behind Akechi’s obsession with Masayoshi Shido and his company was quite simple really. Goro’s mother was what one would call, a woman of the night, a prostitute, and his father was a disgusting businessman who’d impregnated her by mistake. The very same businessman happened to own the largest tech company in Japan, Shido Sciences.

“Hmmm, where to choose?” Akechi asked himself as he stood in the elevator, searching for which button to press. Luckily he’d gotten information on which floors the projects were kept on ahead of time, also thanks to his source.

He selected one of the underground floors and began his descent. Waiting silently in the elevator before it dinged and opened up to reveal the workfloor, where all of the big projects were created.

The large room the size of an aircraft hanger sat before him, completely dark and void of all life. Akechi made his way out onto the workfloor, not daring to turn on any lights out of fear of discovery. With his phone acting as the only light source in the room, Akechi tried to find what could be being built here, and how he could use it to incriminate his father.

After searching the dark room for several minutes, his light finally shined over a notable object. Taking a closer look, Akechi discovered it to be humanoid in shape and covered in a translucent plastic tarp. A body? No, it couldn’t be, why would they keep it here rather than dispose of it?

He pulled the tarp from the object and was met with a surprising sight, not a body, at least not a human one, but rather a shining silver robot in the shape of a human body. Its shape was intimidating, hunched over, lifeless like a dangling puppet, exposed wires coming out of its neck. Goro assumed that had it been standing at full height, it would be nearly 7 feet tall. And judging by its build, it was heavily armored, undoubtedly built for combat, but against what? Searching around nearby, he saw several more tarps which must be covering similar robots.

Lifting his camera to his face, he snapped several photographs of the robot as well as the others standing around it, the camera flash illuminating the room around him. After deciding he’d taken enough photos, Akechi placed the tarp back over the robot and exited the room back towards the elevator.

A robot army being built under Shido Sciences, now that was something he could work with. After he stepped back into the elevator once more, he looked over the buttons once more. While the evidence he’d gathered just now was good, he wasn’t about to waste this golden opportunity on just one project.

Goro pressed another button on the elevator, one that would take him somewhere that was especially of interest, the biological sciences research floor. Why was this floor one of interest to him? Well, if his hunch was correct, this floor contained specimens he was eager to capture. Specimens that may have possibly given a certain wallcrawling hero his abilities, if his interview with said hero was to be believed.

Arriving on the floor with a ding once again, Akechi was surprised to find the otherwise dark hall partially illuminated by a glowing green light coming from a nearby room.

With his curiosity piqued, the young reporter slowly made his way towards the door of said room, careful to not make any noise out of fear of others present. When he reached the door, he raised his head to gaze into the room through the window on the door. A quick search showed the room to be empty, much to Goro’s relief.

Swiping his card on the door, he was met with an affirmative buzz and a clicking noise, indicating that the door was now unlocked. Upon entering the room, he was surprised to find how little was actually in it. The only noticeable thing in the room was the source of the light that had initially drawn him to it. A green light shined beneath an erlenmeyer flask that sat inside of a transparent plastic cube.

Despite not being as visually impressive as what he’d seen before, the contents of the erlenmeyer flask managed to catch Goro’s attention. This was something he could get a sample of, something to study, physical evidence. The liquid inside of the container was pitch black, not even reflecting the light that was being shined on it. Perhaps it was some kind of drug? Possibly a new formula for a product? Whatever it was, he intended to get a sample.

Unfortunately for Akechi, due to the lack of light, he’d neglected to read the various signs outside of and around the room which cautioned all staff to wear protective hazmat suits when handling this particular subject.

As he reached the container that housed the black liquid, he saw a label placed on the container that read ‘VM - 299’. Placing a pair of gloves on, Akechi unlatched the lock around the container and opened it, granting him full access to the flask inside. He grabbed a test tube off of a nearby table in one hand and the flask in the other.

Attempting to pour a small amount of the liquid into the test tube, Akechi was surprised by the resistance of the black substance to flow into the tube. Whatever this liquid was, it was incredibly viscous, thicker than any liquid he’d seen. Trying harder to get his sample, Akechi tilted the container even more, yet to no avail once more.

Finally, sick of waiting, Goro set the flask down and decided to collect a sample more directly, placing a gloved finger into the glass container in an attempt to swab a piece out.

Suddenly, the liquid reacted violently to his touch. Wrapping itself around Akechi’s finger and crawling its way up his hand.

“AAH!” Goro jumped back, dropping the container on the floor, the glass shattering at his feet. But it was too late. The liquid had a hold of him and continued to wrap itself around his arm, inky black tendrils pulsed as they snaked up his arm and made their way to his torso. The liquid that had fallen to the floor pooled around his legs, quickly enveloping him.

Akechi screamed as he tried to pull the black liquid off of him, only for it to enter his mouth as well. Before he could even cry out for help, he was completely covered. 

As substance finished engulfing his face, Akechi’s last sight was the view of his outstretched hand, before complete and utter blackness.

[74]

Goro Akechi was floating through a void.

An empty, soundless void where the darkness was absolute and Goro was deprived of all of his senses. The worst part of it all was that he was still conscious, made to experience this hell with his mind completely intact.

Was this death? Akechi was never a believer, but he figured that on the off-chance he was going anywhere he died, it wouldn’t be anywhere pleasant. That being said, he wasn’t one to easily accept his fate, he screamed out silently, trying to thrash his nonexistent limbs and escape this oblivion.

Finally, Goro’s cries were answered. A low rumbling noise that seemed to be both in his mind and everywhere around him at once sounded out amongst the silence.

“Akechi.” The rumbling noise shifted into a voice.

“W-Who’s there!?” The young reporter cried out, finally finding that his voice worked.

Suddenly out of the blackness that lay before Akechi, came a light. Two white dots and a line grew and formed into rough, jagged approximations of eyes and a mouth. The face seemed ginormous in front of Akechi, like a giant talking wall that made him look like an insect in comparison.

“Are you the devil?” Akechi asked the face in front of him.

Suddenly, a strange repetitive growling noise echoed all around him. It took a second for the boy to realize that the creature was laughing, seemingly amused by the notion.

“No. I am not the devil. And you are not dead.”

“Then where am I? What is this?”

“This is us.”

“Us? What are you talking about?”

“We are one now Akechi. You and I are us. And this is our collective mind.”

“Our mind?” Akechi was still confused. “So then what are you?”

“I am extension of yourself. I was alone before, but then you came along, a new host.”

“Host?” Suddenly, memories of how he’d ended up here flashed through his mind. “You’re the black goo! The liquid that was in the container!” He remembered the label on the container. “VM - 299!”

“I was. Now I am a part of you. And together, we can do anything.”

“Can we get out of here?”

“You can never escape your own mind, Akechi. But, if you wish to regain your senses, simply think it.”

Surprised by this answer, Akechi complied and shut his eyes, opening them up again, he found himself in the lab where he’d initially been exposed to the liquid. He immediately felt around his body, making sure everything was there. Fortunately finding that he did have a body once again, he was shocked that he felt nothing different about himself.

For a moment, Goro wondered if what he’d just experienced was a dream or something, that is until the gravelly voice from earlier spoke once again.

“I assure you Akechi, I am very real.” The voice said in Akechi’s head. The reporter caught himself before he fell from shock.“Hmm, you have much rage inside of you Akechi. Rage directed at your father. Daddy issues?”

“What!? You know my thoughts?”

“We are one Akechi, we share everything. I know you inside and out, quite literally.”

“Great.” Akechi said sarcastically. “Because privacy was overrated anyway.”

“I think it would be best advised that we leave before we are caught. Killing the scientists here would lead to unwanted attention, and stealth is a priority if we are to enact your plan.”

“My plan?” Akechi questioned the creature inside of him as he moved toward the elevator.

“Your plan to kill your father of course. The one you daydream about regularly. Might I suggest ripping off his limbs before biting his head off?”

“You-er...We could do that?”

“The way I see it, Akechi, we can do whatever we want.”

The thought made Akechi smile. Getting revenge on Shido, in the darkest, cruelest way possible? It was almost like a dream, one that Akechi didn’t want to wake up from.

“What do I call you?” Akechi asked the voice as he stepped into the lobby.

“We are one now, we share a name. Together…”

“We are Venom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triple feature! Hope you guys like the setup. FYI Akechi isn't going to be the next villain, I just wanted to establish him as we go forward. Also in case you're wondering, Venom will not be a Klyntar (alien) in this story, this version will be based on Ultimate Venom who is a lab experiment. P.S I'm probably not going to write this, but if you want to imagine Akechi doing that scene from Spider-Man 3 (you know the one) and going to the jazz club for a musical number, we can just say that's what happened immediately after.


	53. Chapter 53

[75]

“Ow...Ow...Ouch...Ouch. Hey that hurts!”

“Well it probably wouldn’t hurt as much if you helped me a little!” Futaba tried to pull the boy up from off of his bed, his back brace making the process difficult. Ren finally managed to stand up with Futaba’s help.

As the two of them made their way downstairs for breakfast, Ren leaned against the smaller girl for support. “Thanks Futaba, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

The younger girl blushed at the compliment as she carried her crush to one of the booths. The pair took their seats and Sojiro silently handed each of them a plate of curry. The expression on his face was unreadable, but he seemed to be in deep thought.

It’d been 3 days now since Ms. Negative was arrested once again. This time, the police kept Wakaba heavily sedated for her incarceration and she was finally shipped off to The Raft, the only place that could properly hold someone like her. There were mixed feelings all around, the trio were sad about what had happened to her, but at the same time, they were hopeful that she was safe now, unable to harm herself or others.

Sojiro had barely spoken to Ren in those 3 days, the revelation of his alter ego had definitely put a strain on their relationship and left Ren unsure of his guardian’s thoughts. As Futaba and Ren finished their breakfast, the man in question took a seat across from them and let out a sigh.

“Kid...I think it’s time we address the elephant in the room. I’ve been quiet about it for a while since you were healing, but we need to talk about this whole Spider-Man thing.”

Ren looked down and sighed, he’d known this moment would be coming. “Look Sojiro, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it earlier. I just got these powers a few months ago and-”

“Let me stop you right there.” Sojiro interrupted. “I’m not mad that you didn’t tell me. In fact, I suppose a part of me wishes I still didn’t. Things have been...better since you came along. You helped break Futaba out of her shell some more, you’ve been a great help around the cafe, and I’ve got to admit it, I enjoy having you around.”

Ren was shocked. This was not the direction he’d seen this conversation going, things tended not to work out this well for him.

“And that makes this next part much harder.” Sojiro continued.

Oh no.

“I want you to stop being Spider-Man.”

“...”

“...”

“WHAT!?” Futaba and Ren cried out at the same time, not able to believe what they’d just heard.

“Boss you can’t be serious! Have you seen what’s going on out in the city? There’s a villain attack practically every other day! If I don’t stop them, who will?” Ren questioned the man.

“Law enforcement, the military, some other costumed hero, I don’t care who does it but it can’t be you.” Sojiro replied calmly.

“We all know that won’t work Sojiro! Ren’s the only one with enough power and morals to defend the city!” Futaba yelled at her adoptive father.

“You don’t know that Futaba. It’s happened twice now, it could happen again.” Sojiro countered.

“But why Sojiro? Why can’t I be Spider-Man? I’ve been doing an...okay job so far.”

“Kid, you nearly died the other night. If Futaba and I hadn’t shown up when we did, you’d be dead right now, not to mention you’d be paralyzed if we didn’t help you out after. You wanna tell me how I’m supposed to explain that to your parole officer? To your parents!?” Sojiro was getting angry now.

“I-” Ren started, though he wasn’t sure how to answer that.

“And what do you think would happen to Futaba and I if you died while under my watch? I had to fight tooth and nail to get custody of her in the first place. If a minor died while under my care, then the courts would take her away! Ever think about that!? This doesn’t just affect you Ren!”

Ren was speechless, he’d never even considered the repercussions the Sakuras would deal with in the event of his death. How could he have been so selfish? And after everything Sojiro had told him about Futaba’s predicament before living here. The courts had given Wakaba’s relatives custody of her initially, which was against her wishes, but she couldn’t arrive in court to protest due to ‘work.’

Both of the teens were unable to give Sojiro an answer. What could they have said to change his mind?

“I don’t want either of you to get hurt. I know this seems unfair, but know that I’m only doing this out of consideration for you both.”

Ren merely looked down. His time here at Leblanc had been the greatest time of his life, if he could, he wanted to stay here forever. And in a moment of weakness, Ren was tempted to give it all up to stay here. But then he remembered why he was doing this, all the people he’d saved, the criminals he’d stopped, it wouldn’t end with Wakaba, he knew that much. People would still be in danger of the threat that lay behind it all, the one manipulating the strings, and he couldn’t stop until they were stopped.

Ren stood up, ignoring the pain in his back. “I’m sorry Sojiro, but I can’t stop. Not yet.”

“Then leave.”

Those two words out of Sojiro’s mouth hit Ren hard. But it hit Futaba even harder.

“DAD NO!” She cried.

“I won’t be responsible for Ren getting himself killed. If he’s going to continue this suicide mission, I won’t be held responsible for what happens. Find someone else willing to take you in, I’ll inform your parole officer that you’ll be taken under someone else’s care and they can sort it out. But for now, pack your things and go.”

Without a word, Futaba ran out of the shop, leaving a trail of tears behind her. Sojiro quickly followed after her, calling her name in hopes of getting her to stop.

Ren made his way out of the booth and up the stairs, when his back brace protested against his movement, he tore it off with one hand. Powering through the pain he felt, he continued to climb the steps. Upon arriving in his room, he gathered up his items in a box along with his backpack. Shoving the remains of his suit into his bag along with his school supplies, he was left with the realization of how little he actually owned.

He headed down the stairs and saw that neither Sojiro nor Futaba had returned, wanting to spare them (and himself) the pain of saying goodbye, he departed out the front door. He entered the subway station nearby and left Yongen, unsure of where to go next.

He texted his friends (excluding Futaba) about the situation and asked if he could stay the night at any of their places.

‘Sorry bro, the apartment my mom and I are in can barely fit us as it is. - Ryuji’

‘I’m sorry Ren, but my caretaker’s got a strict rule against me bringing boys home. I’ll keep trying to convince her tho. - Ann’

‘The same goes for my sister. - Makoto’

‘I apologize Ren. Though you were able to help me in my time of need, I am unequipped to do so in my new apartment. It is similar in space to a supply closet and I am currently using a beanbag chair as a bed. - Yusuke’

Morgana didn’t answer the group text.

Ren sighed in defeat. There wasn’t really anywhere else he could think to go at the moment. Suddenly a thought hit him, he had one more person he could call. Hopefully she’d be willing to take him in after everything they’d been through.

He dialed her number and finally heard her pick up. “Hello?” Came the voice on the other end.

“Hey Naoto...I need a favor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter tonight. I had to spend most of my day fixing a bunch of holes in my walls, I was moving a couch downstairs yesterday and I didn't bother to take off the legs which ended up being a BIG mistake as it was too big to go down smoothly absolutely destroyed the drywall. Not really relevant to anything just felt like sharing. Anyways, the next few chapters won't really involve much Spider-Man stuff as Ren'll be dealing with his daily life problems, school, money, friends, etc. Expect to see more of the supporting cast since I know they haven't been getting much attention lately. What will Ren's stay at Naoto's be like? Is there anyone in the persona franchise who you'd like to see appear soon? I've gotten requests for the Persona 3 protagonist, but I can't think of any roles he could play. Who do you guys think the next villain will be? I'm curious to hear what you guys think, see you tomorrow probably.


	54. Chapter 54

[76]

“So the bathroom’s down the hall and the laundry room is in the basement. That should be everything.” Naoto finished giving Ren a tour of her house.

“Thank you again for everything Naoto. I promise I’ll be out of your hair as soon as possible.” Ren told the detective as he set his belongings on the ground.

Naoto watched the boy stand there awkwardly. “Um, do you need to get anything else? I don’t see a whole lot in that box.”

“Nope. Got all the basics. Toothbrush, couple shirts, school stuff, Spidey gear, phone charger, spare glasses...huh, guess I won’t be needing these anymore.” He sorted through his items, listing them off as he went.

Was this kid a Buddhist monk? What kind of teenager could fit all of their belongings in a grocery bag?

It was then that Naoto came to a realization. Other than what was in his file, she knew nothing about what kind of person Ren Amamiya was.

“Hey um…” Naoto scratched the back of her head awkwardly. “Are you hungry? I could go get us something to eat.”

“Oh no I couldn’t possibly impose-” He started but was interrupted by his stomach growling.

Naoto smiled. “Ha. I’ll make sure to pick up alot, if you’re anything like Yu, your metabolism is super too.”

“...Thank you.” Ren held his head down, embarrassed by his appetite.

Naoto headed out the door to the nearest restaurant, a Thai place she frequented on nights she was too tired to cook (which was most nights.)

As he lay down on the couch, his bed for the foreseeable future, pain shot through his spine again and he sat up straight. Maybe tearing off his back brace earlier wasn’t the best call. If he got some hot water on his back, that might help the situation.

Deciding to take a shower, which might also help with his stink, he undressed and went into the bathroom. Turning on the hot water and allowing it to flow down his back, he felt the light sting of each individual cut from the glass shards, they’d healed by now, but he could still tell where they’d entered him. His healing may make his wounds seal up faster and his bones repair themselves quickly, but it did nothing for the pain.

Unknown to Ren, Naoto had entered the apartment a minute earlier holding takeout in each hand. “Food’s here! Come get it while it’s-” She turned around and was greeted by the sight of Ren in a towel with a ‘deer in the headlights’ look. “-hot.”

Ren Amamiya was certainly built for a boy his age. His exposed chest looked incredibly firm with a well defined six-pack beneath it. His arms, while not as bulky as his predecessor’s, were certainly strong. But the thing that stuck out most to Naoto were the scars she saw, four parallel scars running diagonally across his right pectoral and one large stab wound in his left shoulder and as he turned away clutching a handful of clothes, she caught a glimpse of a burn wound on his lower back.

Snapping out of her thoughts as the boy quickly exited her view, she looked down as her cheeks turned slightly red. What the hell was that? He was her guest for all of an hour and she just saw him nearly naked! And why did she stare so much? He was a teenage boy for crying out loud!

‘You aren’t that much older than him.’ A voice in the back of her head thought. ‘He’s nearly 18 and you just turned 22.’ Who the fuck said that? It couldn’t have been her, she didn’t have those kinds of thoughts. Naoto Shirogane was not concerned with dating. Hell, back in high school everyone around her thought she was a guy her first year!

Ren walked back into the room, dressed in a long sleeve black shirt and green sweatpants, she supposed those were his pajamas. With her guest back in sight, Naoto coughed into her hand and began setting out the food.

“...Sorry about that.” Ren was the first to speak. “I didn’t think you’d be home so soon. I hope you don’t mind me using your shower.”

“Not at all! I should be the one apologizing, I didn’t think to check and-”

As Ren shovelled the noodles into his mouth with his chopsticks, he began to laugh. “Why don’t we just say it’s both our faults and put it past us.”

“Great idea.” Naoto said as she helped herself to her own food. “Hey here’s something we haven’t discussed. That electricity that comes from your hands, how do you do it?”

“Oh? You mean my venom blast?” Ren asked as he swallowed his food.

Naoto snickered at that.

“What? It’s a cool name!”

“I’m sorry, it’s just...That sounds exactly like what Yu would call it. Even as a grown man, he thought everything always had to have a cool name.”

“I can also turn invisible.” Ren added.

“I saw that during our fight with Kaneshiro. My guess is that both of your powers stem from a single source, it seems you can manipulate your bioelectrical field to some degree.”

“Seriously? I mean uh yeah, I concluded that too.”

“Uh huh.” Naoto said skeptically. “I wonder what caused that development. Narukami didn’t have those abilities, so was the spider that bit you different, or was your own physiology the deciding factor? We can’t know for certain given that we’ve only seen two instances of this happening so far.”

“That’s actually a really interesting question.”

The two continued discussing various topics of interest over dinner, exchanging stories from their jobs, and recommending books and movies to one another. Ren’s conversational skills were a welcome surprise to Naoto, most of the conversations she had these days were strictly regarding police work and the few that weren’t were shallow at best.

“Oh my god is that the time!?” Ren said while checking his phone. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but school starts back up tomorrow and I’ve gotta get some rest.”

“Good point, it’s about time I prepare for bed as well. Goodnight Ren.”

“Night Naoto! Thanks for the food!”

[77]

“Good morning Senpai!” 

Ren was walking towards the school gate when a voice behind him called. He turned around and was greeted by the sight of Sumire Yoshizawa, her bright red hair tied in a ponytail. From the way she was standing, she seemed to be holding something behind her back.

“Oh hey Sumire. You seem especially chipper this morning. Any special reason why?” Ren asked curiously.

“I’m glad you asked Senpai. Look!” She presented the object behind her to Ren, displaying it proudly.

“Whoa, a silver medal!? That’s awesome! Congratulations Sumire.”

“It’s all thanks to you Senpai! If it weren’t for our lessons together, I’d never have been able to do so well.”

“Lessons? I’m confused, weren’t you the one teaching me gymnastics?”

“Not those, silly!” Sumire giggled. “The confidence lessons you’ve been giving me have really paid off. Now I’m the best gymnast I can be!”

“Thank you? Those weren’t really confidence lessons, we were just hanging out together. And wouldn’t getting first be the best you could be? Not that second is bad or anything.”

“Oh I could never get first, I’ve got my sister to compete with afterall.” Sumire waved off the question.

“What, you don’t think you could eventually beat her?”

“Not at all. Ever since we were kids she’s been better than me at everything. I don’t stand a chance against her.” Sumire admitted.

“Nonsense, I think you’re great. If you want, we could continue our lessons together.”

Sumire’s eyes went wide. “That would be great Senpai!” She did an excited little hop in place.

“Great, I’m free this afternoon if you want to go to the park together.”

Suddenly, the younger girl’s face lit up red with a blush. “O-Okay s-sure, let’s go to the park. Wellitlookslikeclassisabouttostartgottagobye!” She hurriedly ran away from him into the building.

‘Huh, that was odd.’ Ren thought as he entered Shujin himself.

The day went normally as he sat through his normal classes, his thoughts distracted by yesterday’s events. He couldn’t stop thinking about all of the reasons Sojiro brought up before kicking him out.

‘Sojiro was right, I could die doing this, I’ve nearly died so many times. But I can’t stop now, this city needs Spider-Man. If I’m going to keep doing this, I need to up my game. Better equipment, better skills, stronger abilities-’

“MR. AMAMIYA!”

“Huh?” He looked up from his desk and saw the professor, along with everyone else, staring at him expectantly.

“Care to answer the question?” Ms. Chouno asked angrily.

Ren looked up at the board. Nothing was written on it. Shit, it was a verbal question. “Umm, could you repeat it?”

Ms. Chouno merely sighed before calling on another student who had been paying attention.

‘And I can’t start slacking off at school either, from now on, it’s 110% no, 120% for everything!’ He thought as he quickly jotted down was Ms. Chouno was saying.

Later that day during lunch, Ren entered the student council room and, to his luck, found Makoto sitting alone. The student council president was quietly eating a sandwich while sorting through some documents.

“Hey Makoto.” Ren greeted through the doorway. “Mind if I come in?”

“Ren!” Makoto said in surprise, nearly falling out of her chair. “Yes, please come in.” She welcomed him as she righted herself.

The boy took a seat at the student council table next to her and set his grocery bag with his lunch (a loaf of bread) on the table.

“How’s it going?” Makoto asked.

“Good, I broke my back and got kicked out of the house, but otherwise good.” Ren said before letting out a laugh. “No but seriously, I’m okay. I found a place to stay and I’m fine now. How’s um...how’s your dad?”

Makoto let out a sigh. “He hasn’t woken up yet. The doctors are hopeful, but there haven’t been any substantial changes.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Ren said, considering his next words. “Um, I had a question...Really it’s more like a request.”

“What’s up?” Makoto leaned in, now intrigued.

“You know how to fight, right? Um, do you think you could teach me?” Ren asked while looking away, scratching the back of his neck.

“Teach you to fight?” She let out a laugh. “Don’t you have super strength?”

“Yeah, as it turns out, super strength alone doesn’t really cut it when it comes to crime fighting. I...got my ass handed to me. I know, it’s asking a lot and you’ve already got so much on your plate as it is but-”

“I’ll do it.”

“Wha-you will!?” Ren was shocked.

“Yeah. Whenever I’ve got the time, I’ll help you out. Your Spider-Man stuff is important and I don’t want you getting hurt. So I’ll do what I can to help you, but you’ve got to be ready to give it your all. Can you do that?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter. I'll probably be slowing down in the coming days. I'm getting a bit burnt out and I've got an exam in a week so I need to prepare for that. Hope you guys don't mind the wait, I realize a lot of you have probably come to expect these to be updated daily, but that's just inhuman to keep up with. Not that any of you have demanded it of me, I just kind of push myself to make these regularly. So Ren's going to be spending more time with his friends now and developing his skills. Who else could he run into? Find out soon. Until next time!


	55. Chapter 55

[78]

A group of men in masks stood in an alleyway in Shibuya early in the morning, dividing up the loot from their robbery.

“Damn dude! I can’t believe how easy that was! I was expecting at least someone to try to stop us!” One of the robbers said excitedly, waiting to get his cash.

“I told you dude. The cops and Spider-Man, they’re too busy dealing with all the costumed freaks running rampant. They don’t have time for us. Ain’t that right Uchimura?” Another robber asked while digging through his bag of loot.

“...”

“Uchimura?”

“Your friend is dead. His liver was delicious.” A low raspy voice said from above.

The men looked up at the source of the voice and saw a large black creature crawling down the wall of the alley. It’s distorted jaw held dozens of razor sharp teeth and a long tongue that looked more like a pink tentacle.

“What the fuck dude!? What the hell is that thing!?” Another robber shouted while pulling out his gun. Firing off his entire clip into it did nothing to slow the beast down as it continued stalking towards them.

Suddenly, a tentacle shot out from the creature’s back and wrapped around the robber’s feet. Dangling the man by his feet, the creature’s jaws engulfed the man’s head in one bite before carelessly dropping his body.

The remaining two robbers immediately fled in fear, sprinting to the street outside. As they approached the light of the street, their hopes began to rise, only for fear to set in once more as one of the fleeing men’s legs were ensnared and he was dragged back into the dark alley screaming.

The last remaining robber reached the street, the morning sunlight shined brightly on him. No cars were on the road and not a single person seemed to be on the street aside from him. He turned back to the alleyway, unable to see the thing that’d just killed his friends. He let his arms rest on his knees, panting heavily after his sprint. What the fuck had just killed his friends!? Whatever it was he had to get out of here and-

“Boo.”

As the robber turned around, the creature was standing right in front of him. It’s foul breath blowing in his face, he tried to let out a scream but was silenced by its massive hand wrapping around his neck.

“Mmmm.” It stared him down with a hungry look before snaking its long tongue across his face. “Eyes, lungs, pancreas, so many snacks, so little time.”

“P-P-Please!” The robber pleaded.

“Please? You’re right, where are my manners? Thank you for the meal.” Venom finished by biting the man’s head off, tossing his headless body back into the alleyway to be discovered in a few hours.

As Venom walked down the street, satisfied with his meal, a sudden buzzing noise could be heard from inside of him. He quickly began to sink back into his host’s body, giving Goro Akechi control once again.

“Hello?” Goro answered his phone in his usual calm demeanor.

“Akechi where the hell are you? The governor is about to give his address and we need a photographer here asap!” Ichiko Ohya’s voice came from the other end.

“Sorry, I stopped for a bite to eat on the way. I’ll be right there.” The boy hung up the phone and continued his walk to work.

“Governor hmm? Can we eat him too?” Venom asked in Goro’s head.

“You’re already hungry again?” Akechi sighed at the symbiote. “No, remember the deal? Bad guys only. And as corrupt as I’m sure the governor is, killing him would lead to some...complications.”

“Rrrrg.” Venom growled unhappily. “Fine. But I expect a snack later.”

“I’m sure I can arrange that.” Goro smiled before hopping on the subway to the Diet Building.

Across town at Protein Lover’s Gym, two teenagers stood in front of each other, arms up and hands wrapped, they took turns jabbing at one another, each quickly dodging the others punches.

“Alright,” Makoto said, halting the training session. “I think you’ve got a good grasp on weaving. We’ll switch it up before coming back to that.”

“Huh, looks like fighting isn’t as hard as I thought. I’ll have this mastered in no ti-” Ren was interrupted by a blow to the nose. He stumbled back clutching his face before looking up at Makoto and giving her a ‘what the hell?’ look.

“That was for getting cocky.” Makoto said while pulling back her fist. “Don’t think this will be easy. Right now I’m teaching you the basics of the basics. There are little kids who are at a higher level than you.” 

“Pfft, I could beat up a little kid.”

“Yeah well, you can also lift a car over your head so I think you’ve got a bit of a handicap.” She said as she picked up her water bottle and took a drink.

Ren couldn’t help but admire how good Makoto looked right now, wearing a light blue sports bra and black shorts, he may have been a bit distracted during their bout.

“Y’know I can’t help but feel like you’re reverting back to your strict self from when we first met.” Ren commented to the girl.

“Got a problem with that?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

“N-No ma’am!”

“Good. I have to be strict, otherwise you won’t take this as seriously as you should. I don’t know if you’ve noticed Ren, but you have a tendency to joke around during serious situations.” Makoto said as she got back onto the mat.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Ren said before cracking a smile. “So what’s next?”

“Next...” Makoto said before grabbing his arm and throwing him over her back. She looked down at Ren with his back on the mat. “I’m going to teach you how to do that.” She outstretched her hand to help him up which he accepted.

Standing up, Ren stretched and his spine let out a series of pops. Makoto put her hand to her mouth in shock.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I completely forgot about your injury! Are you okay?” Ren chuckled at the girl’s display of concern. “What?” Makoto asked angrily, stomping her foot on the mat.

“Sorry, it’s just...You did such a complete 180 from tough and serious to cute and concerned.” The boy said while popping his neck. Looking up, he saw that Makoto was wide-eyed and blushing.

“C-Cute?”

Suddenly Ren’s eyes went wide as well. “What? I mean uhhh, I-y’see what I meant by that was…*ahem* Um, what did you say we were practicing next?” He quickly changed the subject.

“K-Kicks! Yeah, let’s practice kicks!”

The rest of the practice session that morning was awkward. The two continued until the time came to get ready for school. Sweaty and tired after training, they entered the gym’s locker rooms and changed into their school uniforms. When they were finished, the pair began their trip to school which was luckily within walking distance.

“Ren! Dude what’s bonkin’?” A voice called from behind, suddenly an arm wrapped around Ren’s shoulder and a head of bleached blonde hair came into sight.

“Bonkin’?” Ren asked his best friend as the trio continued walking.

“Yeah like, ‘Oh I haven’t seen you in forever, what’s bonkin’?’”

“Ryuji, no human being has ever said that sentence before you did just now.” Makoto said.

“Are you trying to start a thing? Like a new phrase?” Ren asked.

Ryuji scoffed. “Maybe. What do you think?”

“I think you need to workshop it man.”

“Dude, mark my words, by the end of the year, everyone’s gonna be saying it. Anyways, where were you guys coming from? And why are you both sweaty?” Ryuji paused for a second before a thought donned on him. “For real!? Ren, my boy! Way to-”

“That is not what was happening!” Makoto yelled at the blond, her face red.

“Makoto’s teaching me how to fight.” Ren explained.

“Ohhh! For helping you as Spi-”

“Ryuji, I swear to God, if you let that slip one more time I’ll throw you through a wall.”

“Right...my bad.”

“Hey guys! What’s going on?” The voice of Ann called as she joined the group from the side.

“Oh hey Ann, Ryuji’s just being his normal self.” Ren said.

“So an idiot, got it.”

“Hey!” Ryuji cried.

“Man, I’m tired this morning. Adjusting back to school hours sucks! Ren do you think you could buy me a coffee?” Ann asked in her sweet voice.

“Sorry Ann, no cash.” Ren said while showing his empty pockets.

“Seriously? None? Don’t you think you should get a job?”

“I have a job.” Ren replied.

“Really? Where?” Ryuji asked before everyone turned to him with an exasperated expression. “Oh...ooooh I get it.”

“Did someone say job?” Morgana said as he joined the group on their walk.

“Okay, did everyone choose to walk to school today!?” Ren asked rhetorically.

“I can get you a job.” Morgana offered Ren. ‘Plus, if you’re busy working full time, then you won’t have time to flirt with Lady Ann!’ He thought to himself while rubbing his hands together evilly.

“You can?” Ren asked, surprised at the generous offer.

“Yeah, at my family’s night club. They’re desperate for new blood and are pretty generous with the hours.”

“That sounds great! Thanks man.”

“Hehehe of course, anything for a friend.”

[79]

Ms. Kawakami had given the class the hour to ‘study independently’ which was code for ‘do whatever you want while I take a nap.’ Honestly, Ren felt really bad for his teacher, from what Ren could gather, she seemed to be struggling financially and he couldn’t help but feel bad for the older woman.

“Hey Ren.” A voice called from Ren’s right.

He jumped in surprise as he saw a blue haired boy standing next to him. “Mishima! Damn, we need to put a bell on you!”

“Sorry about that, I’ve been told I’m hard to notice sometimes.”

Ren instantly felt bad about what he’d said. “I’m sorry Mishima, I didn’t mean it like that. What was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Oh right!” Mishima pulled out his phone. “Have you seen the news lately? They’ve been absolutely slamming Spider-Man. Can you believe that?”

“They have?” Ren’s curiosity was piqued. “What have they been saying?”

“They’re saying he’s causing too much damage to property and is directly responsible for the rising crime rate!”

“That’s ridiculous! He’s obviously doing this because of the rise in crime.”

“Right!? I actually created a website in support of Spider-Man, where people can post photos of him and tell stories about times he’s saved them.” Mishima looked glad to have someone to speak to. “What’re you working on there?” He asked while pointing to Ren’s desk.

Sitting on the desk was Ren’s broken webshooter, still destroyed after his fight with Ms. Negative. Ren wasn’t worried about being discovered though, the general public had no knowledge about webshooters, as far as they knew, the webs actually came out of his body.

“Uhh, it’s a new kind of...watch I’m working on.” He lied. “Left the damn thing on the charger too long and the battery blew out, destroyed the whole thing.”

“Oh, well it doesn’t look like you’ve got the proper tools.” He pointed towards the tiny screwdriver in Ren’s hand which was ill-fitted for the screws on his webshooter. “If you need any extra tools or help with repairs, you could head to the Mech E. Department.”

“We have one of those?”

“Uh yeah? Didn’t you see it on your tour of the school?” Mishima gave him an odd look.

“Tour?”

“Oh boy.” Mishima put his head in his palm.

Later after the school day ended, the two boys approached a large shed detached from the main school building, but still on campus. Ren had never given the building much thought before, dismissing it as a storage area.

“Most students steer clear of this building, the teacher in charge has a bit of a...reputation.” Mishima explained as they reached the door.

“A reputation? For what exactly?”

“Well y’see, the students who do come here tend to end up in the nurse’s office not long after, myself included.”

“What!? Does the school know about this?” Ren asked angrily.

“They know but well...it’s better if I just show you.” Mishima said.

Did this school have another abusive teacher like Kamoshida? Why hadn’t they done anything about it yet? As Mishima pushed open the door, Ren couldn’t help but picture what kind of evil bastard he’d find on the other side.

Shujin Academy’s Mechanical Engineering department was an absolute mess. The tiny building was filled to the brim with tools, computer parts, and scrap metal. The concrete floor was barely visible beneath the junk that was lying around. And aside from the duo who’d just entered, no one else appeared to be here.

“Ms. Yamagishi?” Mishima called out to the vacant room.

Suddenly, a rumbling noise could be heard from somewhere in the room before a loud bump sounded out.

“Ouch!” A female voice cried out before a head of short teal hair wearing a large pair of headphones popped up across the room. The head turned around and looked at the two boys with dark brown eyes. “Hello Mishima! Hold on, I’ll be right over.”

Ms. Yamagishi began carefully walking over towards them while carrying a computer tower she seemed to be struggling with. As she was about to reach them, the teacher tripped over the cord and fell forward, tossing the computer at the boys.

Mishima flinched and closed his eyes, expecting to be hit, but the blow never came. He opened his eyes and saw that Ren had caught the large computer before it hit him.

“Whoa!” The teacher said while getting up. “Great reflexes. Sorry about that!” When she stood up at full height, she only reached Ren’s chest. The woman held out her hands to accept the large device.

“Y’know what, why don’t I just hold onto this for now?” Ren said holding the tower under one arm.

“Good idea.” The woman said before holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Fuuka Yamagishi, the Mech E. professor here. And if you haven't noticed, I’m a little bit of a clutz. It’s probably why I don’t have many students.”

“Ren Amamiya.” Ren introduced himself, shaking the professor’s hand. Ms. Yamagishi was certainly strange, quirky was probably a more apt description. Her attire was a teal and orange hoodie with black pants and mismatched socks. He had to admit, based on what Mishima had described, this was not what he’d expected.

“So what can I do for you, Mr. Amamiya?” Ms. Yamagishi asked.

“I was wondering if I could use some of your tools for some repairs.” Ren explained.

“Oh sure, no problem. Mi tools es su tools. Always happy to lend a hand to a student in need.” She said trying to give a salute but forgetting she had a wrench in her hand, so she knocked herself in the head. “Ouch.”

“OkaygreatseeingyouagainSenseibye!” Mishima quickly left the building, scared of any more accidents.

“Huh, wonder what that was all about. Anyways come on in! I’ll show you around.” Ms. Yamagishi excitedly led the way.

After several grueling hours of work on the webshooters and several more near death experiences that he was only saved from by his spider-sense, Ren exited the school campus with his gear repaired.

Seeing how late it already was, the sun was nearly down, he shot Naoto a quick text that he’d be back late tonight. He then went to his texts from Morgana and saw the address for the night club. It looked like it was all the way over in Kichijoji. Luckily his webshooters were back up and running because he couldn’t afford the train fee.

When he finally arrived in Kichijoji, the sky was dark above him. He stood in front of the address, the outside of the building stood out among its neighbors as it was painted a dark blue color and had a strange, almost mystical aura about it. Looking back to his phone, he saw the name of the club which hadn’t been written on the outside, it was a unique name he hadn’t ever heard before.

“The Velvet Room?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a good time writing this chapter! We got to see a whole lot, Venom in action, more flirting antics, a new character introduced, and a cliffhanger! I know I said I was getting burnt out, but I wanted to get just a bit more done before I take a break. Hope you guys liked it! Please, please tell me what you think. I thrive on feedback and it doesn't need to be positive, just tell me what you honestly think and what you'd like to see. I read every comment and they do impact my writing. Alright well, I'll see you guys when I'm done with exams. Until next time! Edit: Notice to all my readers, I have made a retcon in the series. Back in Chapter 40, I set up Sho Minazuki and Shinjiro Aragaki as future villains. I have since retconned that decision and Shinjiro will be replaced by Minato Arisato aka, the Persona 3 Protagonist. If you want to go back and read Chapter 40, I have edited the chapter to fit this change and added notes as well. If you don't feel like reading that let me just inform you that Minato and Sho are the villains Kingpin selected and as a note, Minato and Minako coexist in this universe and are not related nor did they ever meet.


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so just as a notice from the author, I've made my first retcon to the series. If you didn't see the notice I put at the end of last chapter, I've retconned it so that the two criminals Kingpin is hiring to kill Ren are Sho Minazuki and Minato Arisato, who will be replacing Shinjiro Aragaki whom I've found a better role for. Minato in this universe coexists with Minako, but the two aren't siblings and never met while Minako was alive.

[80]

“Just where have you been, young lady!? I had half a mind to send someone out to find you!” Kunikazu Okumura scolded his daughter.

“I’m sorry Father. I lost track of time at gardening club and by the time I realized, it was nearly dark out.” Haru apologized and bowed her head.

“Haru, you can’t be so damn absent-minded all the time! You’re the heir to the second largest tech company in Japan!” Okumura said while folding his arms. “I have big plans for the near future Haru and you play a big role in those plans. But that means you need to take care of your damn responsibilities!”

“I know Father.” She responded sadly.

“Have you spoken to Sugimura lately? You know how important it is that things go well between you two.”

Haru winced. She’d been avoiding that man like the plague, only speaking to him when absolutely necessary. If she had to be honest with herself, she detested Sugimura. That horrible man only ever had one thing on his mind and it left her disgusted at the thought of being alone with him.

“Well Father, you see-”

“You know what? I don’t have time for this. We have dinner with his family tonight, hurry up and get dressed.”

Haru sighed in defeat. “Yes Father.” And walked upstairs to get changed.

Reaching her room, she saw that her maid, Kirumi, had already left out a dress for her for the night. Haru sighed as she began to change, she detested fancy dinners like this, dull conversations with people only interested in her family’s money. If she could have it her way, she’d take eating greasy fast food in a parked car with a genuine friend over 5-star restaurants with other rich families any day.

As she finished zipping up her dress, Haru looked at herself in the mirror. This wasn’t her, not the real her. When had things become like this? When had Father stopped seeing her as his daughter and began seeing her as another disposable asset to his damn company?

“Haru! Hurry down, the limousine is waiting for us!” Her Father’s voice called from the living room.

“Yes Father!” She called back, sighing. This would be a long night.

Back in Kichijoji, Ren Amamiya entered the night club known as The Velvet Room and was greeted with an interior the same deep blue color as the outside. The club was quite large on the inside, a black marble floor with a bar in the center of the room, booths and tables along the walls as well as chairs and tables across the floor, a large open area that was presumably for dancing, and a stage attached to the wall with a piano and a microphone stand on it and a large blue curtain behind it. 

Overall, the room seemed to have a high class look to it and seemed almost timeless, like something that would’ve fit in 40 years ago but still just as much in style today. Suddenly, Ren felt underdressed for the occasion.

The club seemed to be empty at the moment, not a soul in sight across the place. He was pretty early, but he figured he’d at least find someone setting up who he could speak to.

“Hello.” A female voice suddenly came from his right.

“Gah! What the-” Ren stumbled backwards, falling to the floor.

When he looked up he saw a small girl who couldn’t have been more than 12 years old giving him an inquisitive look. The girl was wearing a blue dress that went down to her knees, long white leggings and black ballet shoes. Her silver hair fell down to her back and had a blue headband adorned with a swallowtail butterfly in front. The most striking part of her appearance had to be her eyes which were bright gold and staring directly at him.

“You certainly are a strange one. But I believe I like you.” She said letting out a giggle.

“Oh um, thank you?” He said, picking himself up and brushing himself off (to no effect as the floors were spotless.) “Excuse me little girl-”

“My name is Lavenza.” She interrupted.

“Sorry, excuse me Lavenza. Would you happen to know where I could find your mommy or daddy?”

“My ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’?” She asked angrily. “Do you think me a child incapable of functioning independently? I must take back what I said, I no longer like you.” She huffed before turning her back to him.

‘What a strange girl.’ Ren thought to himself.

“That’s enough Lavenza.” Another female voice called out.

Turning to the source, Ren spotted a tall, beautiful woman headed towards the two of them. This woman’s looks were similar to Lavenza’s, golden eyes and silver hair albeit wavy and cut shorter. Her attire was the same blue color as everything else in the club, however her dress didn’t reach her knees, her legs were covered by a pair of tight black leggings, and she wore black high heels which increased her already considerable height. When she reached Ren, he stood only an inch taller than her.

“Hello, you must be Ren. Morgana told us you’d be coming. He, however, neglected to tell us how handsome you were.” The woman held out her hand and caressed Ren’s face, lifting his chin to get a better look at him. “I’m Margaret by the way. I see you and Lavenza have already become acquainted.”

Ren was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. Who the hell were these strange people? And why did they have no concept of personal space?

“Ren! You made it!” Morgana’s voice called out to him.

Ren turned his head (still in Margaret’s hand) towards the boy and saw his friend followed by two more individuals similar in appearance to Margaret and Lavenza, one man and one woman.

“*gasp* Is this our new employee!?” The woman yelled excitedly before running over and grabbing Ren’s hand, shaking it furiously. “Hello! I’m Elizabeth! It’s so nice to meet you!”

The man approached shortly after. “Pleasure to meet you. My name is Theodo-”

“I want to know everything about you! What’s your favorite color? What are your hobbies? *gasp* Do you prefer boxers or briefs?” Elizabeth interrupted as she got even closer to Ren.

“U-Umm...What?” Ren was sweating as he backed away.

“Elizabeth, please give our guest some room. Can’t you see you’re making him uncomfortable?” Margaret asked the other woman.

‘Like you’re one to talk!’ Ren thought silently.

“Alright, alright.” Morgana said, pushing himself between Ren and Elizabeth. “Let’s give the guy a break. We don’t want him quitting on his first day afterall.”

“First day? Isn’t there like an interview or-” Ren began to ask.

“You already passed.” Margaret said.

“Hooray!” Elizabeth cheered. “Welcome aboard!” She hopped up and down while clapping.

“Congratulations.” Theodore stated while bowing.

“What? But I didn’t do anything! I don’t even know what my job is!” Ren yelled, finding this whole situation ridiculous.

“You’ll learn on the job.” Lavenza told him. “Theodore, go get him fitted for his uniform.”

“Right away.” Theodore grabbed Ren by the arm and led him into a back room, apparently taking orders from a child.

The next thing Ren knew, he was in a changing room being handed his uniform. A light blue button-up shirt and black pants with an apron that matched the color of the rest of the employees’ uniforms which Ren was just realizing shared nothing in common aside from their color.

“Don’t worry, it’s your size. I have an eye for these things. Come out when you’re done and we can discuss the job further.” Theodore stated and left the room before Ren could even respond.

Now by himself, Ren let out a sigh and just decided to roll with the situation because apparently pointing out its absurdity did nothing.

As he was halfway through changing, Morgana entered the room, leaning against the doorway, he gave Ren a smirk. “Pretty weird, right? Makes me seem normal by comparison.”

Ren turned to his friend. “What the fuck is happening right now? I don’t understand...any of this. These people are your family?”

“Adopted family. If it wasn’t obvious.”

“Okay...Next question, why do I suddenly have the job? What even is the job?”

Morgana shrugged. “Eh, pretty much whatever they ask. And as for the reason, they like you. Congratulations that’s pretty rare.”

“Alright then, sure, makes as much sense as anything else that’s happened today.”

When Ren finished changing, he exited the room and saw Margaret waiting for him. Apparently the rest of the Philemon family had gone off to begin prepping for the night.

“Good, the uniform fits you well. Allow me to show you around the establishment.” She said as she began walking, expecting Ren to follow, which he did. “Here, we have the booths where you’ll be serving customers. Menus are kept in the drawer outside of the kitchen.” The two continued walking and arrived at the bar. “Here is where we serve drinks.”

“Um, actually I’m not old enough to serve alcohol.” Ren pointed out.

“Correct, which is why you’ll be doing the cleaning.” She answered.

“Oh, okay got it.”

“Next we have the stage, we play all genres here, but have a preference for classical.” As Margaret said this, two previously unseen individuals came out from behind the curtain. 

An older man with greying hair, wearing dark tinted glasses and a blue suit and tie along with a woman with mostly white hair that stuck straight up and heavy blue eyeliner, wearing a gown which was, you guessed it, blue. The man took a seat in front of the piano, while the woman set a microphone in her stand.

“Are those your performers?” Ren asked.

“Yes, Nameless and Belladonna.” Margaret said as she watched the two set up.

“His name is Nameless?”

“Yes?” Margaret replied as if it was a dumb question. “They’ve worked here longer than any of us. In fact, no one seems to recall a time that they weren’t here.”

“Wow.” Ren whistled in amazement.

“And that brings us to another important piece of history.” Margaret said, turning to a large painting on the wall. One Ren was surprised he hadn’t noticed before as it was of an incredibly ugly man. “This is our founder, Igor Philemon. I know, quite the impressive nose.” She continued walking, leading Ren to the back rooms.

“Yeahhhh. That’s what I was gonna say.” Ren paused. “Y’know, when Morgana told me his family ran a nightclub, I have to admit, this isn’t what I expected.”

“Oh? Did you expect strobe lights, glow sticks, and hard drugs?” Margaret asked playfully. “No, The Velvet Room has always been a classy place for classy people.”

“Which makes it all the more surprising that you hired me. Morgana told you about my financial situation, right?”

Suddenly Margaret stopped in her tracks, turning around to give Ren a scolding look. He was terrified that he’d just outed himself as being poor and she would fire him here and now.

“Young man! Class, real class, is determined by one’s actions and their strength of character, not their financial standing. You’d do well to remember that.”

“Y-Yes ma’am!” Ren said, relieved and terrified at the same time.

“Now,” She turned back around and continued the tour. 

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the rest of our establishment.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know I said I was done until exams, but I can't help it. This story, it consumes me, I find myself constantly thinking about it while trying to do other stuff. I ended up writing this chapter and the chapter after it without meaning to, but I couldn't stop myself. I won't be releasing the second chapter until tomorrow though, gotta pace myself somewhat. A lot of themes of class this episode, I didn't intend that when I started writing this but it just ended up happening. I should also specify just so you all know, the Velvet Room isn't magic in this story, it's just a nightclub staffed by a strange family. Gonna try to get my hands on a PS5 tomorrow, I can't wait to play Spider-Man Miles Morales, anyone else have a ton of it spoiled for them while scrolling through YouTube thumbnails today? That shit sucks man. Anyways see you all tomorrow!


	57. Chapter 57

[81]

Minato Arisato sat in his cell in Ryker’s, a maximum security prison meant for the containment of dangerous, non-metahuman, individuals. Minato was one of these prisoners, in fact, he was considered one of the most dangerous people here given his track record as a contract assassin with 42 kills under his belt.

It was for this reason that Minato’s cell was located in ‘The Cellar.’ A solitary confinement floor where the walls were 2 feet thick and the only light came from a 4 inch by 2 inch hole in the wall filled with reinforced glass.

It was incredibly boring here most days, however, due to his good behavior, he was permitted to leave the cell once a week and join the other prisoners for one hour of recreation time, under the restriction that he remain handcuffed and heavily supervised at all times during said period. Minato looked forward to these days alot.

Thankfully, today was such a day and he would get to continue his game he’d been playing with a fellow inmate. 

As the guards cuffed him and led him through the halls, he heard pounding on the cell door next to his. 

“Playtime already? You lucky son of a bitch!” An aggressive voice called from behind the door. It was Sho Minazuki, another killer who was considered almost as dangerous as Minato.

his eyes winced at the light of the room he was led into. Dozens upon dozens of prisoners in orange jumpsuits walked about the floor, some played sports, some gambled, and others merely spoke to one another. Spotting his usual table, his friend already sitting down, a smile graced Minato’s face as he took his seat.

“Welcome back. Where were we last time?” Asked Ichirysu Madarame, an elderly prisoner who was missing both of his legs. His wheelchair sat next to the table.

“I believe my knight was about to take your bishop.” Minato said as he set up the board from memory. Ever since Madarame’s arrival at Ryker’s, the two of them enjoyed a game of chess every chance they got.

“That can’t be right.” Madarame said jokingly, knowing that the younger man before him was the superior player.

“We can start over if you’d like. But the end result will always be the same.” Minato cracked another smile. Their record so far was 8-0 in his favor.

“Someone’s confident aren’t they? You’re lucky you’re the only other prisoner here who knows the game. If I had just a bit more practice it would be your downfall.”

“Well until that time comes-” Minato began to say, but he was interrupted as a basketball hit him in the back of his head. Turning around, he saw a group of large tattooed prisoners staring him down. It was clear that it hadn’t been an accident.

Minato looked over at the guard supervising him and watched him feign ignorance over the situation.

“Just ignore them. If they try anything serious, the guards will put a stop to it.” Madarame advised the younger man.

“That may be the case for standard prisons, but here, the prisoner mortality rate is 46%. The guards don’t care what we do to each other, so long as we stay here.”

“Then why aren’t they trying anything now?” Madarame asked.

“They have nothing to gain from it. If they start a riot, it’ll only hurt them.” Minato turned his head back to the game, but made sure to keep aware of his surroundings.

“You know, your looks remind me so much of my boy, but your personalities couldn’t be any more different.”

“Your son?”

“Well, my student. But I think of him as a son.”

“Hmm.” Minato hummed as he turned his focus back to the game, moving his rook with both hands.

“Do you have any family?” Madarame asked, no longer paying attention to the game.

“I do.”

“...”

“...”

“Alright then. Why don’t I change the subject?” The older man suggested, believing he’d hit a nerve with that. “I received a new cellmate the other day, his name is Takaya Sakaki. From what I gather, he was a cult leader before coming here. He got arrested for sacrificing 3 young girls to his ‘god.’ He disturbs me quite a bit.”

“Have you put in a request for a new one yet?” Minato asked while moving another piece.

“I tried, but the guards said it would take months to file the proper paperwork.”

“Figured as much. That’s their way of saying no.”

“What should I do then?” Madarame sounded scared.

“Keep one eye open at all times and sleep with a shiv beneath your pillow.”

Madarame wasn’t sure how to respond to that, his mouth gaped at the thought.

“Don’t be so surprised. You’re a killer, you’re stuck in here with other killers.” Minato looked at the man before him who still said nothing. “*sigh* Look, I like you. I think you’re a good guy and that’s why I’m telling you this. Be careful.”

The pair continued their game for a while longer and before they knew it, the bell rang, indicating that rec time was over.

“Well, I’ll see you next week. Remember where the pieces are this time.” Minato said as he was guided back downstairs to his cell.

Madarame looked down at the board and saw that somehow, he’d fallen into the exact same trap as last time.

Back at Shujin Academy, Haru Okumura was diligently taking notes as her final class for the day wrapped up. As the final bell for the day rang, Haru was relieved that she didn’t have to go straight home today.

Earlier, she’d received an email from Dr. Maruki, asking her to assist him in his lab experiments today. She’d gladly accepted, looking for any excuse to avoid seeing Sugimura.

“Good afternoon Professor.” Haru said as she entered the room. Seeing another student with him, she quickly apologized. “Sorry, I’ll wait outside until you’re done.” She began backing out the door.

Dr. Maruki stopped her. “Actually Haru, Mr. Amamiya here will be joining us today. Can never have too many pairs of hands!” He said while holding up his empty lab coat sleeve. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, not at all.” She said stepping back into the room, putting on her own lab coat.

“Ren, meet Haru. Haru, meet Ren.” Maruki gestured towards the boy with fluffy dark hair in a lab coat to his left with his one good hand.

“We’ve met actually.” Ren said, shaking Haru’s hand.

“We have?” Haru asked, thinking about where she may have seen this boy. Suddenly, memories of a hot tub in Hawaii flooded to her mind. “Oh! From the school trip! I remember now.”

“Aw, you already know each other?” Dr. Maruki whined. “But I set out snacks and tea for a meet and greet!” He sighed and a sad look crossed his face.

“I wouldn’t mind some tea.” Haru offered.

“I didn’t eat lunch today.” Ren offered as well.

Suddenly Maruki’s expression lightened. “Well then, by all means please enjoy!”

The trio sat together in Maruki’s lab, eating cookies and sipping tea while discussing the project.

“So, Ren here is still being caught up on BARF.” Maruki explained to Haru.

“Lovely name isn’t it?” Haru asked, giggling.

“Yeah, it’s certainly memorable.” Ren laughed as well.

“Hey, if you can’t have a laugh in the lab every now and then, what’s the point? But really, the Body Accelerated Regeneration Formula is going to change the world as we know it!” Maruki stood up from his chair and walked over to a large terrarium on a table. “And Iggy here is the key to all of it!” He tapped on the glass and his pet iguana turned towards the sound.

“Not that I mind, but why did you ask me to help out? From what you’ve told me, the two of you have been doing some great work here, it doesn’t seem like you need the help.” Ren asked out of curiosity.

“Well you see Ren, the work we’ve been doing has been great so far, but it has been quite slow going. And I fear that it’s been my fault.” Maruki hung his head in shame.

“Professor!” Haru stood up. “Of course it’s not your fault! If anything, it’s my fau-”

“Haru!” The doctor stopped her. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence! You have been vital to our work. If it weren’t for you, I’d be months behind schedule and would have failed 9 times over.” Maruki sighed. “Sorry for yelling Haru, but I hate hearing you put yourself down. You’ve been a great asset to me and this project as a whole and you can bet, when all of this is over, you’ll be credited for your help to change the world for the better.”

“Thank you Professor.” Haru said, a small smile as she sat back down.

Ren was in awe at the kindness in the room, even when they were yelling at each other, they were being nice.

“So Ren, Haru, the reason I asked you here is because you two are my best students. I trust both of you with the secrets of my work. I’ve been going over my work lately, and I keep finding more and more mistakes I’ve made. I fear it’s because I’ve been pouring myself into my work too much lately, but I can’t afford to take time off. So, I need the both of you here to look over my work, correct my dumb mistakes, and call me out when I skip proper procedure. I know it’s a lot of work, and I can’t really afford to pay you-”

“I’ll do it.” Ren said with a determined look, standing up from his seat.

“Y-You will!?” Maruki was stunned.

“You said it yourself, we’re gonna change the world for the better aren’t we?”

“R-Ren...” Tears formed at the sides of Maruki’s eyes.

“And of course you have my continued support as well Professor.”

“Haru…” He ran over to his students and wrapped them in a hug, one arm wrapped around Haru and an empty sleeve around Ren. “I know it’s against faculty rules to hug you, but I just have the best students!” He said as a stream of tears poured out of his eyes.

The students patted the crying man on the back and shot each other a confused look before both shrugged and accepted the hug.

Maruki wiped the tears from his eyes and looked back at his students.

“Now, let’s change the world together.”

[Bonus]

Ryuji Sakamato was walking home from school, thinking about where he’d go for dinner that night when he heard yelling from the alleyway across from the school entrance. Believing it to be someone in trouble, he ran over to help whoever was in trouble.

To his surprise, when he reached the alleyway, he only saw a girl standing by herself, her hand raised to her ear. She was talking on the phone, Ryuji realized, and whoever she was speaking to, she was pretty mad at them.

Luckily, the girl hadn’t noticed him yet, otherwise she might’ve accused him of something and he didn’t want to end up like Ren. Then again, Ren got spider powers out of the deal, so maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“Mom! For the last time, I don’t want to do another photoshoot! The photographers...they make me uncomfortable.”

“...”

“I don’t care how it will boost my career! Won’t winning more matches do the same!?”

“...”

“Please Mom!”

“...”

“Ugh!” The girl ended the call and stomped her foot on the ground.

Ryuji hid behind the wall, afraid of being spotted. As he considered walking away, he heard quiet sobs coming from the alleyway. He turned back and saw the girl crying into the palms of her hands. When he saw the red ribbon in her hair, Ryuji realized where he’d seen the girl before, back on the school trip to Hawaii, in the hot tub! Deciding that he had to do something now, Ryuji stepped out into the light.

“Hey um, you okay?” He asked the girl.

Suddenly the girl turned up and looked at Ryuji with swollen red eyes. “Oh, *sniff* I’m terribly sorry. If you’ll excuse me…” She pushed past him, trying to get out of the embarrassing situation.

As she walked away in a hurry, Ryuji followed after her. “Hey wait up!”

Trying to walk away faster, she was disappointed that he managed to catch up. “What!?” She yelled turning around, emotions still raw.

“Sorry.” Ryuji stopped to speak to her. “I just...You seemed...Are you alright? You seemed kinda distressed. Before I started following you I mean.”

Hifumi wanted to say yes, she was fine and didn’t need anything. But the pressure from everything that’d happened in her life recently, her mom ordering her to put herself on display like some idol.

“N-No.” She finally managed to say. “I’m not alright.” She began crying into her hands once again.

Ryuji cautiously patted her on the back, allowing her to get it all out. When she finally quieted down a bit, he spoke.

“You wanna grab some beef bowl?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter! Finally introduced Minato! I wonder if anyone will guess what villain he is. I haven't really dropped any major clues yet, but you guys will know soon enough. Speaking of villains, have I made it obvious enough who Dr. Maruki is going to be? No one has said anything yet, but I assume most of you have known for quite some time now. I figured the one arm thing gave it away, but maybe not. Also, addressing the Velvet Room last chapter, I was thinking of shipping Ren and Margaret who is my personal favorite attendant, also as far as I'm aware no one has ever done that ship yet. I will not be doing Ren and Lavenza because diddling kids is bad! Anyways hope you enjoyed the chapter and look forward to what comes next, until next time!


	58. Chapter 58

[82]

Things were finally looking up for Ren Amamiya, while he had been forced to leave Leblanc by Sojiro almost two weeks ago, he was doing pretty well for himself right now. As he walked down the recently rebuilt streets of Shibuya, he couldn’t help but reflect on how great things had been recently.

He finally had some money thanks to his new job, which he was surprised to find he enjoyed so much. He was doing important work at school that would help millions of people. Tokyo crime rates were falling for the first time since the original Spider-Man’s death, and as a result, he got to spend more time with his friends.

His thoughts were interrupted by the loudspeakers playing on an electronic billboard. Turning his attention towards the billboard, he saw a familiar mustached reporter yelling into the news camera.

“-You wanna hear the truth people!? Here’s the truth! The falling crime rates have nothing to do with that damn wallcrawler! It’s because criminals are finally realizing that the police are a far more threatening force than any vigilante! It’s thanks to the hard, thankless work of our officers that this city is still standing! Especially thanks to the Detective Queen herself, Naoto Shirogane. Who has arrested numerous costumed villains including the most recent offender, Wakaba Isshiki, better known as ‘Miss Negative.’ I, for one, cannot wait for the day when she arrests the greatest villain of them all, SPIDER-MAN!”

Ren couldn’t help but let out a laugh, little did Toranosuke know, that same cop he was praising was giving Ren a place to live right now. Speaking of which, as Ren felt the large wad of cash in his pocket, a thought crossed his mind. All of the great things that had happened to him were thanks to Naoto, he needed to show his appreciation somehow.

As he thought about what he could do, he saw a grocery store out of the corner of his eye and he realized what he had to do. He was going to use his cooking skills to make Naoto the best dinner she’d ever had.

Naoto Shirogane sat in her office late into the afternoon, despite the lowered crime rate, she still had to work just as hard to ensure that it remained that low. While she was typing out her latest report, she received a text from Ren.

‘Don’t come home too late tonight.’

Naoto smiled and shook her head. This boy. He reminded her so much of Narukami. Not just his powers, his kindness, his selflessness, his optimism, his body, his intelligence, his...wait what?

What was she thinking!? Why did her mind keep coming back to that moment from two weeks ago!? Gah! She was supposed to be a professional! So why was she so damn fixated on this boy!? She supposed it may have been her latent feelings for Narukami, but this was ridiculous! She was 5 years Ren’s senior!

As much as Naoto was ashamed to admit it, she had feelings for the late Yu Narukami. Ever since they were teenagers working together to stop small time crooks in Inaba, Naoto had deep, strong feelings for the masked hero. She recalled the day Rise and Yu got engaged as the worst of her life, that is, until the day she found him dead under a collapsed building. 

When she’d first heard the news about a new masked vigilante with spider powers on the streets, some small part of herself found her believing it was Yu, back from the grave somehow and continuing his fight. She was disappointed, but not surprised when her investigation revealed the hero to be a 17 year old delinquent from the countryside. And the rest between them was history.

When Ren reached the door to Naoto’s apartment with two grocery bags draped around his arms, he saw a pink slip of paper hung on the door. Reaching into his pocket and fishing out the key Naoto had given him with one hand, he grabbed the paper with his other.

It was a flyer for a maid service called Victoria’s. Apparently if he used this flyer, he’d get 10% off of the service charge.

“Not a bad deal.” Ren said to himself as he pocketed the pink paper.

Stepping into Naoto’s apartment, he was ready to set to work on making her an unforgettable meal. However, as he glanced around the apartment, he noticed just how messy it actually was. Before coming here, Ren had assumed Naoto would be a bit of a clean freak, however he couldn’t have been more wrong. The Detective Queen was so busy at her job, she didn’t have the time to worry about how clean her apartment was, or the time to even cook for herself.

That settled it, on top of cooking for her, he would clean Naoto’s apartment as well. That being said, Ren Amamiya wasn’t the best at cleaning either. However, he knew just how to solve that problem. 

“Hi, you’ve reached Victoria’s maid service. How may we serve you Meow-ster?” A woman’s voice came from the other end.

“Hi um,” Ren felt a bit awkward, never having called a maid service before. “I’d like your cleaning services for tonight...please.”

“Not a problem meow-ster. Do you have any particular requests?”

“Umm, cleaning?” Ren reiterated, confused by the question.

The voice on the other end giggled. “You’re so funny Meow-ster! I mean any requests for a particular maid, silly!”

“Oh.” He got a choice? Why did it matter as long as they cleaned? “Uh, nope. Send whoever.”

“Excellent. And now we just need an address.” Ren gave them the location and apartment number. “We’ll have someone over within the hour. Have a nice night Meow-ster!”

Ren hung up the phone, feeling strangely dirty for some reason. Shrugging that feeling away, he set to work on cooking. The food tonight would be Italian cuisine, everybody likes pasta afterall, so he figured it would be a safe bet.

While he was in the middle of boiling the noodles, there was a knock at the door. “It’s open!” He called out, desperately hoping it wasn’t Naoto.

“Victoria’s maid service!” A woman’s voice called as the front door opened.

‘Thank God!’ Ren thought as he continued to stir. “I’m in the kitchen!”

The maid entered the kitchen and saw him at work on the stove. “Oh? You’re cooking? You know we offer food services as well, right Master?”

“It’s fine. I’m just really trying to surprise someone with a home cooked mea-” Ren said as he turned around, stopping when he got a good look at the maid’s face. The two stared at each other with wide eyes and open mouths.

“A-Amamiya!?” The maid stammered out.

“Ms. Kawakami!?” Ren said, shocked to see his homeroom teacher here, in a maid outfit.

“Oh God. I’m going to lose my job.” Kawakami murmured to herself before looking up at Ren angrily. “Who told you about this!? Was it Ms. Chouno!?”

“What?” Ren was incredibly confused. “I have no idea what you’re talking about! I just needed someone to help me clean!”

Kawakami glanced around the apartment, seeing that it was, in fact, a mess. “*sigh* Fine, I’ll believe you. But on one condition! Don’t tell anyone about this!”

“You got it Teach.” Ren said, wanting to just forget about all of this and continue prepping his food.

“And don’t call me that.” Kawakami said before setting to work on cleaning.

The two each worked at their tasks for the next hour, Ren preparing a lovely chicken and mushroom risotto with garlic bread, and Kawakami doing an okay job cleaning the apartment.

“Holy shit.” Kawakami looked over the meal laid out across the table. “Where’d you learn to cook like that?”

“Years of practice.” Ren said as he finished laying out the food. “I also work as a cook at a nightclub.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t ask me to cook. I wouldn’t be able to make anything close to this.” Suddenly, while staring at the food, Kawakami’s stomach began to growl from the smell. She clutched her belly and her cheeks turned red. “S-Sorry.”

Ren just laughed it off, thinking it was cute. “No problem.” He walked over to the pot of pasta. “I made plenty.” He began to scoop her some.

“N-No, I couldn’t possibly-”

“Oh just take it. You can be my guinea pig.” He handed her a plate of steaming pasta.

The woman ate her meal greedily, clearly much more hungry than she was letting on. As Kawakami finished her meal, she looked back at her plate and was disappointed to find it empty, only to be surprised as a tupperware container filled with more of the delicious pasta was being handed to her.

“I’m gonna assume you liked it.” Ren said with a smirk.

Kawakami suddenly remembered the situation she was in, a student, her student, was standing over her, in his apartment, giving her food, knowing her unfortunate secret. This should be a nightmare, she could lose her job if the school found out. So why was she enjoying herself so much?

“It...It’s alright.” She said turning away, face red.

“Well, if you don’t want any more…” He began to pull the container away.

“No!” She yelled as she snatched the container from his hand.

Ren laughed at his teacher/maid’s antics. “Alright. Just be sure to return that container, it’s not mine to give away.”

Suddenly another thought crossed Kawakami’s mind. Whose apartment was this? It couldn’t be his. And who was the dinner for? And the cleaning? Oh God. Her student had a date tonight! And here she was sitting on his couch in a maid outfit! What if they walked in and saw the two of them!?

“I have to go.” Kawakami said abruptly, grabbing her things, including the tupperware, and leaving as fast as she could.

“Wait! But I didn’t-” The door slammed shut before Ren could finish. “-Pay you.” He said to no one in particular.

Ren sat alone now, thinking to himself. Was he a creep? Was he way out of bounds asking her to help him clean? And giving her food? Students and teachers didn’t interact like that. Outside of pornos that is. But what had he said that’d been the final nail in the coffin? What made her run out like that?

Before he could continue this line of questioning, the apartment door opened once again, and believing it to be his teacher once again, he ran to greet her.

“Hey, I’m sorry about before-” Ren began.

“Sorry about what?” Naoto Shirogane asked as she stepped into her apartment.

“Uh, s-sorry thaaaat I forgot to lock the door! Some-um, hooligans could’ve broken in at any point and I would’ve been defenseless to stop them!”

“Hooligans? Oookay?” Naoto paused before smelling the air. “Did you order takeout already? Hopefully it’s enough for two. I’m starving.” She said as she stepped further into her home, only to be surprised to see a shockingly clean kitchen and two plates already prepared with food sitting out on her tiny dining table.

“Surprise.” Ren said, scratching the back of his neck. This moment was more awkward than he’d anticipated.

“Whoa. Ren, where’d you get all of this?” She asked looking at the spread before her. She didn’t know any places around town that made Italian food.

“I made it.” Ren answered, glad she seemed to appreciate it. “Come on, let’s not waste any more time.” He pulled her chair out for her. “Dig in.”

Naoto took her seat and began to eat. Holy shit! It tasted even better than it smelled! The chicken and mushrooms were complimented so well by the white sauce and the noodle texture was-

Before she’d even realized it, the Detective Queen had cleaned off her plate. She’d been so enveloped in the food, she didn’t notice Ren hadn’t even sat down yet, he was entranced by how fast she’d consumed the meal.

“I’ll uh, go get more.” He grabbed her plate and filled it once more from the ever-shrinking pot of pasta on the stove. At this rate, he wouldn’t get any for himself.

This time, Naoto was far more courteous and allowed Ren to sit down before beginning her meal. The two enjoyed another nice conversation over dinner and Naoto found herself in disbelief at the seemingly random act of kindness Ren had done for her. He was proving to be a more and more amazing person the more she got to know him.

As Ren slurped up the last bit of his pasta, he didn’t notice the sauce that had landed on his cheek.

“Hey you’ve got a um,” She pointed towards her cheek. Ren attempted to wipe the sauce from his face, only to guess the wrong cheek. “Here, let me…” She leaned in and used her napkin to wipe the boy’s face.

When she looked up, their faces were inches apart and Ren’s cheeks were bright red. This close, she really saw just how handsome Ren’s face was. Clear skin, a soft but firm jawline that contoured very well, fluffy black hair that hung just around his sharp grey eyes with long, almost feminine eyelashes.

Maybe it was because it’d been a hard day at the office. Maybe it was because of the show of gratitude he’d just done for her. Maybe it was because it’d been so long since she’d last...you know...Or maybe it was because she had genuine feelings for this boy.

She kissed him.

Not a kiss on the cheek, not a cute kiss that didn’t really mean anything. Naoto kissed him directly on the lips, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the taste of their meal together on his lips. As she pressed further into his mouth, Ren accepted the kiss, opening his mouth to hers. 

Their tongues danced together, and much to Naoto’s surprise, he seemed pretty inexperienced. She’d figured with his looks and personality, a boy like him would have girls lining up. But if Naoto had to guess, this was Ren’s first time french kissing a girl.

But the heat of their emotions didn’t end there. Naoto grabbed the boy by his collar and led him to her room for further...study. Naoto began to unbutton her shirt as they moved along, gesturing for him to do the same. He complied, and Naoto was once again treated to Ren’s impressive physique, this time however, it was up close and personal. Tracing his various scars with her fingers, the two ended up more or less falling into Naoto’s bed, laughing at their shared clumsiness.

As Naoto undressed herself further, she was nervous as to how Ren would respond. Sure she kept herself fit for duty, she was an active police officer of course, but she didn’t exactly dress like women her age. Instead, she still chose to buy a lot of her clothes from the men’s section, and her underwear, while meant for women, was the cheap type one would buy in packs at department stores. Her fears however, were misplaced, as Ren looked at her with immense lust in his eyes, disappointment was the furthest thing from his mind.

The pair ended up going all the way together, to both of their immense satisfaction. As Ren laid in Naoto’s bed, basking in the afterglow, he turned to the detective and saw her out cold, murmuring softly. It did sound like she’d had a stressful day when she’d described it over dinner. As he pulled her blankets further up to warm her up a bit, he heard her murmur something just a bit more clearly.

“I...love you-”

Wait what? She loved him!? Was she serious!? After one night!? Ren stopped to sort out his feelings for her. He couldn’t say he didn’t feel something close to-

“Narukami.”

Ren stopped, his blood suddenly running cold. Narukami? Yu Narukami!? Naoto loved Yu Narukami!? The same man who had been married to her best friend!? The same man Ren had replaced as Spider-Man!?

He got up out of the bed and got dressed, deciding it didn’t really seem right to stay here right now. Grabbing his jacket and shoes, he headed out the door. A nice walk would help him sort out his feelings. The cold September air hit him as he stepped out of the apartment and onto the street.

Ren soon found himself back in Shinjuku, in the same area he’d been in earlier this morning, the soft glow from the electric billboards illuminated the streets packed with Tokyo citizens visiting the rebuilt section of the city.

How could he have been so stupid!? Of course Naoto had feelings for Yu! The way she talked about him, it was so obvious now! Ren wasn’t mad at Naoto, not in the least. He was mad at himself. He’d taken advantage of this woman who was grieving for her lost friend, a friend she’d loved more than she’d let on to anyone else. And here he was, a guy who just happened to get the same powers as him, trying to take the place of someone irreplaceable to her.

Things were going so great for him this morning! He had everything! And yet he’d stupidly wanted more. In the back of his mind, he knew that his gesture was a romantic one, and maybe he had secretly been hoping to get closer to the woman he now knew he had strong feelings for. But he’d denied all of this and made it out as a gesture of gratitude, he didn’t know how he’d face Naoto in the morning. What could he say after hearing that? What could he-

Ren’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the soft blue and white glow of the various billboards being replaced by a gaudy mix of green and purple. Looking up to the billboards, he saw an almost hypnotic swirl of the two colors on the screens with an image of a cloudy crystal ball in the center.

Suddenly, the swirl dispersed into a cloud of smoke on screen and revealed a costumed body beneath the crystal ball, with the ball sitting atop the shoulders like a head. The figure's costume was a padded green suit with gold accents and a flowing purple cape behind him.

“People of Tokyo!” The figure on the screen spoke in a man’s voice. “You have been led astray! Made to rely on worthless technology manufactured by corporations who want nothing more than to see you become weak and complacent! I am here to show you a new way! A better way! With my magic,” The figures hands lit up with bright green glyphs that floated around his palms. “I shall liberate you all from such a feeble existence! And make the corporations that have hindered your potential, pay for their crimes!”

The camera zoomed in on the crystal ball and held there.

“Soon all of Tokyo will have a new savior! One who will lead you to a brighter future! I am MYSTERIO!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter out for the weekend! Finally Naoto and Ren hook up, but I won't get too detailed with sex scenes, it's not my thing, if you want to write it, go nuts. Anyways our next villain is set up, Mysterio! Gotta admit, Mysterio is my favorite comic book villain of all time so I hope I do a good job with him. I'll definitely be taking a break over the weekend as I have a very important exam on Sunday. Hope you all have a good weekend and enjoy playing the new Spider-Man game if you have it, I haven't gotten the chance yet so I won't know the story for a while. Until next time!


	59. Chapter 59

[83]

Haru Okumura sat in the living room of her home early in the morning, watching a video that’d been posted the night before and was now trending on social media. A man calling himself Mysterio promised the public that he’d attack big corporations using his ‘magic’ and bring humanity to a new age. He seemed to be a pretty strange individual, even by villain standards. Why would someone choose to wear a fishbowl on their head?

As Haru finished the video, her father came down from the stairs, much to her surprise.

“Father! I thought you’d be at work by now!”

Her father yawned as he stepped into the room. “I had a late night in the office. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for school?”

“Yes sir.” She said as she grabbed her things to leave.

“And don’t forget, you have a date with Sugimura tonight. Wear something he’d like.” 

Haru shuddered at the thought of being around that man, and what kind of dress she’d have to wear. “Y-Yes sir.” The girl left for school without another word.

The ride to school in her limousine was uneventful, the driver for today wasn’t especially talkative, so she was more or less left to her own devices. When they finally arrived in front of the school, Haru exited the vehicle without a word.

As a part of her duties as Dr. Maruki’s lab assistant, Haru took it upon herself to feed the mice each morning. She found the task relaxing, and the mice were so cute. While she wasn’t a fan of experimenting on the adorable creatures, she knew that their work could improve and potentially save millions of lives.

When she arrived in Maruki’s lab, she was greeted by the sight of Ren Amamiya already completing her job.

“Oh...Hello Amamiya.” Haru greeted the boy, disappointment clear in her voice.

The boy turned around and gave her a half-hearted smile. “Good morning Haru.”

The two stood awkwardly for a moment, neither really felt like talking at the moment. Deciding to avoid further awkwardness, Haru walked over to Iggy’s enclosure and began watering her plants, her second favorite activity of the morning.

“Good morning my amazing lab assistants! How are we doing today?” Dr. Maruki greeted as he entered his lab. Upon seeing both of his students’ grim expressions, his smile faded to a look of concern. “Are you two alright?”

Haru didn’t want to get into her situation, it wasn’t something she really felt she should share with others.

Unbeknownst to her, the same thought was running through Ren’s mind at that very moment as he recalled this morning’s events.

After seeing the message by the man calling himself ‘Mysterio’ Ren headed back home to find Naoto awake and getting dressed in her kitchen while she was on the phone. From the sounds of it, she was speaking to the police captain about the message.

When she saw Ren, Naoto quickly wrapped up the phone call and addressed Ren. “There you are. I was wondering where you’d gone.”

“I saw the message. Have there been any attacks so far?” Ren cut straight to business, his concern for the city trumping his emotional state.

“No, none yet. But we’re keeping our eyes out. Our tech guys have been trying to trace the hack since it started, but we haven’t had any luck.” Naoto explained as she put on her shoes. “I’m heading into the office.”

“Naoto listen, about what happened with us-”

“Look Ren, now’s not really the time.” Naoto looked away and nursed her temple. “Earlier...Look, I just had a really long day and I was tired. It was a mistake. Let’s just...Let’s just act like it didn’t happen. Alright?”

“Y-Yeah, totally.” Ren said, dejected.

“I’m heading into the office, you should get some rest, you’ve got school in a couple hours. If we get a lead on any possible attacks, you’ll be the first one I call. Okay?”

“Got it.” Ren watched as Naoto exited the apartment. “Be careful.” He called out just as the door closed behind her.

It was pretty sad, being told to act like your first time never happened. It was only a few hours ago that Naoto and he had been...together, and now they were back to business as usual. Were they really never going to discuss what had happened between them? Maybe when all of this Mysterio business was over, they would have a moment to talk.

As Ren finished recalling the events from earlier, he snapped his attention back to Dr. Maruki. “I’m fine Doc, just...kinda tired. I woke up early, couldn’t get any rest after.”

“Well, that’s why we have coffee.” Maruki said as he walked over to the lab’s coffeemaker and started it up. “What about you Haru? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I’m tired as well.” She stated simply.

“You guys see that weird video this morning? Heard it was broadcasted across all of Tokyo. Some kind of cyberattack maybe?” Dr. Maruki asked rhetorically.

“Who knows? All we can do is wait, I guess.” Ren replied.

The trio began their work, running simulations on cross species DNA splicing until the bell rang, indicating that the school day had begun.

As Ren entered his homeroom, he saw Ann sitting at her desk on her phone. Seeing him approach, the girl set down her phone and quickly began fixing her hair. When Ren took his seat behind her, Ann turned to chat with the boy. Before Ann could start, Ren spoke first.

“Have you spoken to Futaba lately? I haven’t heard from her since...y’know. I’d ask her in person but I don’t think Sojiro wants me anywhere near there.”

Ann was surprised by the question. “No actually. I tried calling her but I couldn’t get through. I went over to Leblanc to check on her. Apparently, she’s grounded and Sojiro’s making her go the rest of the year without any screen time.”

“Futaba without screens? May God have mercy on us all.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I was hoping to get her help with this whole ‘Mysterio’ thing. She might be able to trace the hack better than the police.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Sojiro doesn’t want Futaba having any part of this vigilante business anymore. Says it’s too dangerous for her.”

Ren sighed and placed his head in his hands. Soon after, the teacher entered the room and gave Ren a nervous look as she placed her things on her desk. For a moment, Ren was confused, what did he...Oh. Right. After everything that happened last night, between him and Naoto and the potential new villain, he’d forgotten that his teacher had shown up at his apartment dressed as a maid.

Not knowing what to do in this situation, he tried giving his teacher a friendly wave, which she did not appreciate. So he just looked down and pretended to look for something in his bag.

The day continued on normally while Ren was distracted by his thoughts. Eventually, he exited the school and headed towards his next destination of the day, Takemi’s clinic. He had some questions to ask.

As he arrived at the clinic, he ran into a man in a suit leaving as he entered. The man pushed past Ren and murmured something about kids these days. Disregarding the rude man and walking into the waiting room, he saw Takemi sitting at her desk with a distressed look on her face with a sheet of paper in her hands.

“What’s wrong Takemi?”

Looking up in surprise, the doctor quickly hid the paper away. “Ren! Um, nothing! What um, what can I do for you?”

Concerned for his friend, but respecting her privacy, Ren returned to the original reason he came here. “I was wondering if we could um, run some tests.”

Now Tae’s curiosity was piqued. “What kind of tests?”

“Um,” Ren looked down and tapped his fingers together. “The kind that determines if there’s anything wrong...down there.”

Tae raised an eyebrow. Was this an innuendo of some kind? Suddenly, realization dawned on her face. “Ren, you dog! I can’t believe it! Who’s the lucky someone?”

“Wedon’tneedtogetintothatpleasejusthelpme!” Ren pleaded, face turning red.

“Alright, alright.” Tae said, chuckling. “Come in the back and then, well, come in the back.” When the two entered the back office, Ren was handed a small cup. “Do your thing.”

“...”

“...”

“Uh, Doc...Can I get some privacy?”

“Ugh fine. You patients are so needy!” She said sarcastically as she left the room.

When Ren finished his business, Tae took the cup and had it analyzed. After some time passed, she returned to the room with a clipboard in hand and took a seat in her rolling chair. The two sat in silence for a moment and Ren’s heartbeat was so strong it was nearly audible.

“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” Tae finally asked.

“Good news.”

“Welp, the good news is, you don’t have to worry about giving any of your partners cancer or giving birth to a nest of tiny spider babies.”

“Thanks for that mental image Doc. So, what’s the bad new-”

“You can’t have kids.” Tae stated right out.

“...”

“Sorry, sometimes it’s best to just rip the band-aid right off.”

Ren wasn’t really sure what to think. Having kids was the last thing on his mind right now. He wasn’t devastated, afterall, what 17 year old wanted kids? But maybe one day…

“Well um...Thanks Doc.” Ren didn’t know what else to say. He got up and walked out of the clinic.

Tae watched the sullen boy leave with a sad expression on her face. As she walked back to her desk, she pulled out the paper from before. Written in bold letters across the top were the words: Notice of Foreclosure.

Ren rode the train back to Naoto’s apartment, as he got off in Shibuya, he noticed a crowd gathered in the middle of the street, all looking up at something. As he ran over to join them, he spotted the object in the sky.

It was the same man from last night’s video, and he was directly across from a Shido Sciences building. Floating high over the streets on a cloud of green smoke, the man of mystery called out to the citizens below.

“People of Tokyo! While you are made to suffer in silence, the architects of your suffering sit in their ivory towers looking down upon you all! I, Mysterio, shall use my magic to bring these towers crashing down!”

Mysterio opened his cloak and a swarm of flaming gargoyles emerged, flying towards the building across from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back everyone! I hope you missed me! I really needed the time to finish studying for my exam, and it paid off. I got my best score of the semester on it. Anyways, I looked over the comments and all of them were about how sudden the relationship between Ren and Naoto began and ended. I wanted to address this. The relationship between Naoto and Ren is definitely not over, in fact it's really just beginning. The reason I made things begin between them so fast was because this is a harem story and we're like halfway through and nothing concrete has really happened yet. I wanted there to be more of a spark to ignite the romance in Ren's life, and if you know anything about Spider-Man, it's that his love life is messy. I hope you all are still onboard with the story going forward. I have an idea as to who Ren's first real girlfriend will be (no Naoto doesn't count but we'll get there eventually) Expect his first girlfriend to be one of the Phantom Thief girls. That's all I'll say for now. Until next time!


	60. Chapter 60

[84]

By the time the gargoyles came out, Ren was already suiting up to stop him. Normally, on a busy street, Ren would have to hide himself before changing. Luckily, with his (recently mastered) cloaking ability, on top of everyone’s attention being directed away from him, Ren was easily able to change into his suit on the spot.

As the flaming winged beasts approached the windows of the skyscraper, they were stopped when a series of weblines attached to them and pulled them backwards. Ren expected the flames to burn right through his webbing, however he was surprised when they were unaffected.

Ren yanked the creatures away from the building, gathering them all into a single ball. As they were gathered up, the gargoyles began to glow and their fire seemed to burn brighter. His spider sense warning him as to what was coming, Ren swung the ball of monsters in a circle before sending them hurdling into the air where they exploded into a ball of flames.

As Ren stuck to a window of the Shido Sciences building, he heard the employees behind him cheer. If he hadn’t intervened, they would definitely have died. Ren signalled for them to leave before they were hurt, but they either didn’t understand or willfully ignored him to watch the fight.

“Impressive, Spider-Man.” Mysterio said as he floated closer. “I expected this city’s greatest hero to intervene. But I will not let you stop me! My magic will save these people! Liberate them!”

“What? By blowing up innocent office workers? How does that help anyone?”

“My goals are beyond your understanding Spider-Man! I will achieve them even if you stand in my way!” As he said this, green glyphs floated around Mysterio’s hands and suddenly two beams of light shot from them which Ren narrowly managed to avoid.

The office workers behind Ren ducked for cover, finally realizing the danger of the situation as the windows of the floor shattered. Before Ren could react, more gargoyles flew into the office building and cackled as they chased the fleeing workers, breathing fire out of their mouths. He quickly jumped into the building and began webbing up the creatures before they could harm anyone.

Despite his efforts, the cubicles around the office began to catch fire and the workers running around in panic didn’t help the situation.

“Evacuate the building! Use the stairs and avoid the elevators!” Ren ordered as he ran over to the fire alarm. He smashed the glass with his fist and pulled the lever so hard it broke off. Immediately, the sound of warning bells went off and the sprinkler system went into effect.

The sprinklers put out the fires around the office, but had no effect on the gargoyles themselves. He quickly dispatched the remaining gargoyles and tossed them out the window before they could cause any more damage, each blowing up as they were sent out of the building. Seeing one of the creatures webbed up beneath him, Ren punted the creature out the window and it flew off screaming before exploding harmlessly in the air.

“Little flaming bastards.”

With the situation in the office more or less handled, Ren turned his attention back to the villain behind it all. Apparently, Mysterio had taken this opportunity to once again address the crowd in the streets below, speaking more about his grandiose plan to ‘liberate them from the shackles of technology’ and whatnot.

His boasting would prove to be his downfall as Ren leapt out the window to tackle him and put an end to this. However, as Ren flew towards the villain, Mysterio threw up a green smoke screen which Ren passed through harmlessly.

Catching himself on the building across the street, Ren turned back and watched as the smoke dissipated. When it finally became clear, Mysterio had vanished into thin air. Could he disappear as well? Maybe teleport? Before Ren could think any further, Mysterio’s voice seemed to call out from everywhere at once.

“People of Tokyo! This was merely the first of three acts! Over the coming days, the world as you know it will change forever! The empire of technology shall fall and give way to a new civilization! One in which I, Mysterio, shall rule as your benevolent master!”

With that, his voice stopped, and Ren was left wondering what the hell had just happened. Who the hell was this guy? What did he want? He said he wanted to eliminate technology, but if that was his goal, why come here? Why attack an office building?

All of this was too weird, and after the day he’d had, Ren just wanted to go to bed, even if it was only 5 o’clock...Wait 5 o’clock? Oh shit.

Ren remembered that he had agreed to meet with Sumire after school today. They were supposed to meet in Inokashira Park at 4:30! As he checked his phone, he found that he had several missed texts and a voicemail from Sumire. Luckily, he had the perfect excuse in mind to explain his lateness.

After discreetly landing on top of the park bathrooms, Ren crawled in through the window and climbed across the ceiling, finding an empty stall which he could change in, he couldn’t keep up his invisibility for long afterall. As he exited the stall, dressed in a white t-shirt, grey hoodie, and black pants, he went over to the sink and washed his hands, receiving an odd look from the man who had thought he was alone in the bathroom.

Ren acted completely casual as he quickly left the bathroom and went in search of Sumire. Finding the red haired girl standing alone with her phone in hand, he straightened out his sweaty hair and approached her. When he tapped on her shoulder, Sumire panicked jumping backwards.

“AH! Oh, Senpai!” She breathed out a sigh of relief. “I was afraid you wouldn’t show up.”

Sumire looked especially cute today. She was dressed in a grey cardigan with a large blue skirt that nearly reached her feet, she’d also decided to wear her glasses instead of contacts today. No matter what the girl wore, she always seemed to have a cute, wholesome vibe to her.

“I’m really sorry about that, y’see I was in Shibuya and-”

“Wait. I just saw the report! Were you there when that Mysterio guy attacked!? Oh my gosh are you okay!?”

Ren smiled, she’d immediately forgiven his lateness and was more concerned about his safety. “I’m fine. I just got distracted by his fight with Spider-Man.”

Sumire let out another sigh of relief and placed her hand on Ren’s shoulder before immediately pulling it away with a red face. “S-Sorry!”

“No problem.”

“Thank goodness Spider-Man was there to help. I heard he put out the fires and disposed of bombs before any real damage could be done.”

“Oh? Are you a secret Spider-Man fan Sumire?” Ren asked as the pair began to walk out of the park.

Sumire blushed. “W-Well, maybe a little.”

“Cool. I am too.”

“C-Cool.”

The two of them headed to the underground mall in Shibuya, Ren had agreed to go shopping with her to find a new outfit. Sumire had said something about how changing her wardrobe could help her stand out from her sister and improve her confidence. Ren didn’t really understand Sumire’s relationship with her sister, but it seemed to him like Sumire was constantly living in her more popular sister’s shadow.

“Um, what do you think of this outfit, Senpai?” Sumire stepped out of the changing room dressed in an outfit that was...loud, to say the least. A cheetah print jacket, a striped scarf, polka-dotted pants, and pink glasses with star-shaped frames.

“Maybe we should keep looking.” Ren suggested.

After a montage of comically mismatched outfits, Sumire finally stepped out in a purple and white dress that looked amazing on her.

“Wow.” Ren said in awe.

“W-W-What? Is it bad?” Sumire said, a nervous look on her face.

“No! No not at all! You look great! Amazing really.”

“W-W-What!?”

“I-I just mean, it uh, *ahem* it looks nice.” Ren’s voice cracked. Why was he messing this up so badly? Why was he so nervous?

“I’m...I’m really glad you like it.” She smiled at him.

“Sumi! There you are!” An angry female voice called out from behind Ren.

Both Ren and Sumire turned towards the source and saw Kasumi stomping towards them.

“K-Kasumi!?”

“Sumire, what the hell are you doing?”

“We-I...We were just…”

“Trying on outfits for the delinquent!?” Kasumi turned to Ren. “You should be ashamed of yourself! Taking advantage of a naive girl who doesn’t know any better! You...sick pervert!”

“Wha-me!?” Ren was shocked.

“Come on, Sumire, we’re getting out of here!” Kasumi grabbed her sister’s arm and pulled her out of the store.

“Wait, Kasumi! You’ve got it all wrong! I haven’t even paid for this!” But the twin didn’t listen and dragged her sister out of the mall.

“Sumire…” Ren called out to no avail. As he was about to go after them, he was stopped by the store clerk holding out her hand, gesturing for him to fork over the cash. Ren sighed and dug out his wallet.

By the time he made it out of the mall, the twins were gone without a trace. Not knowing what else to do, Ren decided to head home for now. He had homework due tomorrow that he hadn’t even started, not to mention he had work in a few hours. Ren knew he’d promised to give 120% going forward, but he had no idea it would be this exhausting.

When he arrived back in the apartment, he found Naoto sitting at the kitchen table, apparently waiting for him.

“Finally! Where have you been?”

“I was...out. Why, what’s up?” Ren asked the detective.

“We have a lead. We’re gonna catch Mysterio.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like the chapter! I've been getting a lot of requests for more Sumire moments so I hope this was satisfactory for now, expect more in the future. What characters do you want to see get more of a spotlight? Let me know in the comments. And just so you guys know, I'm basing these versions of Spider-Man villains on their various appearances across different mediums over the years. Don't expect this Mysterio to be based on the MCU version, while I do love Jake Gyllenhaal's portrayal of him, this Mysterio isn't like him, he isn't trying to become an Avenger. I've been seeing a lot of speculation in the comments and I've gotta say, I love it. I really appreciate your guys' support and without it, I would've lost interest in this story a long time ago.


	61. Chapter 61

[85]

Ren sat perched atop the building in the middle of the night across from a warehouse in his full Spider-Man gear. According to Naoto, the police had traced the signal of the original hack to this particular warehouse, a possible base of operations for the fishbowl headed villain.

According to the detective, she wanted things to go by the book for this, Ren was strictly here for backup. After the botched arrest of Madarame, Naoto wasn’t about to take any risks.

As Ren watched the team of officers enter the building, he heard footsteps echoing from behind him. Firing off a webline as he turned around, the figure dodged and moved in quickly, grabbing Ren by his throat and holding him over the edge of the rooftop.

“Hey hot stuff.”

When his vision focused on the figure before him, he recognized her to be The Black Cat. Was she still brainwashed? Was she going to kill him?

“C-Cat?” Before Ren could contemplate the situation further, he was brought back to the rooftop and released. “What *cough* What the hell Mitsuru? I haven’t seen you in weeks and the first thing you do is attack me?”

Mitsuru gave Ren a scowl. “First of all, you shot first, second, I was at home, sick because a certain asshole left me unconscious on a rooftop in the freezing rain.”

“Ooh um, sorry about that.” Ren apologized awkwardly.

“Yeah. Anyways, I’m here because I caught wind of what was going on and thought you might need some backup.”

“Backup for the backup? I don’t think the situation is that dire, but I’m not one to refuse help.” Ren accepted the offer.

Meanwhile, inside of the warehouse, Naoto and her fellow officers searched the area with flashlights and pistols drawn. According to the quick background search she’d done on the location, it was a former clothing manufacturer. The interior of the dark warehouse was populated by the worst thing imaginable, mannequins. Naoto could hear the nervous, quick breathing of her fellow officers as they searched past the creepy stark white figures.

As Naoto moved her flashlight across the room, searching each figure to see if it was the culprit in disguise, her light passed over a shiny, distinctly non-human object several yards away. Just as she spotted it, the object began to glow blue, revealing it to be a crystal ball sitting atop a table covered in a purple sheet.

“Do you know what automatonophobia is?” Mysterio’s voice played over the loudspeakers. “It’s the fear of things that appear to be human. They look and may act the part, but in reality, they’re just puppets. Do you officers realize yet that you are, in fact, the puppets? Having your strings pulled by an outside power.”

As Mysterio spoke, Naoto noticed a green smoke was filling the ground, almost reaching up to her knees. Things were going badly, it was time to call in Ren. She reached for her radio and attempted to contact him, but only static sounded out of the device.

“Perhaps it's time you experience what it’s like to fear the puppets.” Suddenly the crystal ball shattered and the light it produced went out. The warehouse became pitch black and silent once again.

“What the fuck!?” One of the officers yelled out. “I swear to God one of those things just moved!”

As Naoto swung her flashlight in the direction of the officer, she saw him staring at one of the mannequins who looked as though it was staring right back at him. Suddenly, a creaking noise sounded behind her and Naoto turned around, her flashlight beam shined onto another mannequin merely a foot away from her, one that definitely hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Suddenly, more of the same creaking noises began to sound out from every direction. The panicked breathing from the other officers became louder and more erratic until suddenly one of them let out a scream followed by a clattering noise. “They’re on me! They’re on me!” Naoto turned to the source of the noise before looking back and seeing her mannequin an inch from her face.

Naoto punched the mannequin, expecting it to clatter to the ground like cheap plastic, she was surprised by how dense the figure was and that it only turned its head in reaction to the blow. The mannequin then slowly turned its head back to face her. The way it moved, this thing wasn’t a guy in a suit, it was just as Mysterio said, puppets.

As one of the officers raised his pistol at a mannequin, Naoto stopped him. “Hold your fire! The gas beneath us could be flammable.” She pointed out before showing everyone the exit. “We need to get out of here!” 

The officers ran towards the door, trying to leave as soon as possible. As they ran, they turned back to see the mannequins getting closer each time the light struck them. When they finally reached the door, it was locked, unmoving no matter how much they tried to open it. While the other officers pounded on the door, Naoto turned back focusing on the mannequins approaching like zombies.

Suddenly, the noise of loud creaking metal sounded from behind Naoto and light flooded the room as the front doors were ripped off of their hinges. The officers escaped out into the open air and two figures dressed in black stepped into the room.

Ren jumped in next to Naoto, followed closely by Mitsuru. “Holy nightmare fuel!” Ren cried out seeing the creepy robot mannequins stalking towards them.

“They aren’t human, you don’t need to hold back, but don’t use your venom blast. If you can, try not to damage one of them, we could study it and find out who made it.” Naoto quickly explained.

“Got it.” Ren said as he and Black Cat leapt into action.

The pair of them tore through the legion of mannequins, Ren caving in their torsos with his fists while Mitsuru ripped their appendages off with her claws. The two of them were making quick work of their opponents. However, as they destroyed more of them, the remaining robots became quicker, actively charging at and attempting to strike the pair as they fought the onslaught of foes.

“Uh, is it just me or are these things getting-OW! Faster?” Ren asked as one managed to land a blow against his face.

“They must all be connected to a single source. Less robots means more processing power to go around.” Mitsuru suggested as she flipped away from one of the mannequins.

“Then that means...” Naoto searched around the warehouse, trying to find what could be controlling these things. However aside from the mannequins and them, the warehouse was completely barren, except…”Son of a bitch.” She said, realization dawning on her face.

Naoto ran to the center of the warehouse, where the crystal ball that had given Mysterio’s message had originally sat. She pulled the purple cloth from what she’d initially believed to be a table, only to reveal a black box with blinking lights.

Ren and Mitsuru were getting tired fighting the remaining mannequins, who became stronger with each of their brethren’s defeat. As the two of them were dogpiled by the swarm, they were surprised when the bodies on top of them suddenly became limp.

Ren pushed past the lifeless mannequins until he could breathe once again. “What just happened, is it over?” He asked as he pulled up his mask halfway.

“Yeah.” Naoto let out a huff as she finished pulling out the wires. “Yeah it’s over. You two should get out of here. We can take it from here.”

“Where have I heard that one before?” Mitsuru asked sarcastically as she walked off.

The vigilantes left the building unseen thanks to Mitsuru’s skills and Ren’s cloaking ability. As they stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, the redhead stopped the younger man before he could leave.

“Hey, there’s something else I wanted to tell you. There’s another reason I showed up tonight.”

“Oh?” Ren was curious. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to tell you, I’m going to be leaving town tomorrow. I have some...personal business to take care of.” Mitsuru said cryptically.

“Oh.” Ren said, sadness creeping in his voice. He was starting to think that the two of them made a good team. “H-How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know. I might not come back at all.”

“Wha-Is it dangerous!? Do you need my help?”

“Nonono it’s not like that, nothing I can’t handle. I’m just...not sure if I can really stand to be here anymore. Y’know? Too many psychos in the streets. *sigh* Too many bad memories.”

“So then I guess this is goodbye?” Ren said, unsure of how he felt.

“For now.” Mitsuru’s red lips curved up. “Maybe I’ll come back to see you. As much as I hate to admit it, I’ve taken a liking to you. And before I go, I have a question. Did something happen between you and Ms. Detective?”

“W-What!? What gave you that idea!?” Ren was blushing furiously under his mask.

“So something did happen. I couldn’t help but notice you staring at her a little longer than usual. I must say, I’m disappointed that you didn’t invite me to the party. The three of us could’ve had a spectacular time together.”

Ren’s blush deepened. “It’s...It’s not like that! S-She doesn’t want anything serious.” Ren admitted, glad to finally have someone to talk to about this. “She told me to just forget it ever happened. Plus, she doesn’t really have feelings for me. I think I just remind her of the man she really loved.”

“Oh yeah.” Mitsuru said. “She was totally pining after Narukami! She hated me when he and I were dating, part of the ‘not seeing eye-to-eye’ thing, well that and she’s a cop and I’m a robber.”

Ren merely looked down, her input had clearly not helped his situation.

“Look kid, I can’t speak for Naoto, but I can say that she’s smart enough to know the difference between you and Narukami. Whatever you two shared, that was between the two of you, not her and him. I, for one, think that there really is something between the two of you, and as much as I’d like that something to be me, I think that you two have some shit to work out first. Talk to her. Okay?”

“Okay.” Ren nodded and looked over at Naoto guiding the officers out of the building with mannequins in tow. “After this Mysterio business is over, I’ll talk to her. Hey, you’re joking about the threesome stuff, right?” He asked as he turned back only to find an empty rooftop, the cat burglar long gone.

Suddenly, Ren’s phone buzzed. Pulling it out of his pocket, he saw that he was 40 minutes late to work and Margaret had sent 7 texts demanding to know where he was.

“Shit.”

[Bonus]

“Y’know, if you guys are going to keep asking me to teach you how to fight, I ought to start charging.” Makoto joked as she wrapped up her partner’s hands.

“C’mon Makoto! Just a few lessons? I could really use them in case one of the guys at the agency tries anything or, God forbid, I ever run into another creep like Kamoshida.” Ann Takamaki reasoned with her friend as her hands were finished with their wrappings. “Plus, I hear this can be a great stress reliever, and boy do I have some stress after the shit Mika pulled.”

“Mika? That brunette model at your agency?”

“Yeah. Back when Ren called me to help warn Sojiro and Futaba, I had to leave work for like, 30 minutes tops, and she went and told the crew I was done for the day. They completely cut me out of the issue! Can you believe that!?”

“What a bitch!” Makoto said as she took her place behind the gym’s punching bag. “Wanna take it out on this thing?”

“Yes, please.” Ann said as she raised her fists.

“Remember, don’t tuck in your thumbs and keep your arms parallel to the ground.” Makoto reminded the blonde as she began taking jabs at the bag of sand. She was honestly surprised by the amount of force behind Ann’s punches, credit where credit is due, the girl was stronger than she looked.

“Did *huff* Ren *huff* pick up on this technique *huff* this quick?” Ann asked between jabs.

“Don’t talk while punching. I’m teaching him a different style of fighting than you.”

“What?” Ann stopped what she was doing. “Why?”

“Ren’s fighting style is much more acrobatic and flexible, he’s much lighter on his feet than you or I so I’m having him learn something that he’d be more naturally attuned to.”

“I can be light on my feet.” Ann interjected.

“Can you do a standing backflip?” Makoto asked.

“Um, no?”

“Thought so. So why don’t we get back to punching the bag?”

“Y’know, you’re a lot meaner when you're in the gym.” Ann pointed out before resuming her training.

“So I’ve heard.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked the chapter! I know I got it out late today, but my sister visited today and I was busy hanging out with her. Anyways, the whole mannequin thing in this chapter was kinda based on that episode of Doctor Who, Blink. You guys ever see that? I had nightmares after watching it! I also want to make it clear that this was not Mysterio's second act, this was just the police trying to catch him and falling into a trap. Also, a bit more of a spotlight on Mitsuru and Ren's relationship as well as him and Naoto. Would the three of them work out together? Mitsuru's gonna be gone from the story for a while, this is a Spider-Man story afterall and Spider-Man is kind of a solo act. Also, Ann is learning how to fight from Makoto as well. With this be relevant in the future? Stay tuned and find out.


	62. Chapter 62

[86]

“So yeah. Last night was basically a bust.” Ren explained to his friends as the group sat in a booth at a bustling Big Bang Burger.

The group consisted of Ryuji, Ann, Mona, Makoto, and Yusuke. Unfortunately, due to Futaba’s grounding, she couldn’t leave the house or contact her friends.

“Damn dude.” Ryuji said.

“And the police don’t have any leads?” Ann asked.

“We’re still waiting to hear back on an analysis of the mannequins. Maybe if we find out who made them, we can find out who Mysterio is.” Ren added.

“You sure they ain’t actually magic?” Ryuji questioned.

Everyone in the group turned to him with a look that said ‘Really?’

“Look, all I’m saying is Ren got his powers from a spider bite! Is it really so crazy to believe that magic’s real too? After all the shit we’ve seen?”

“Everything that we’ve seen is the result of science Ryuji, as unbelievable as they are. We know Mysterio isn’t magic, why would he need to hack billboards and use robots if he were?” Ren asked rhetorically.

“So then if Mysterio actually uses tech himself, why does he claim to hate it? What’s all of this for?” Makoto wondered.

“Maybe he’s trying to get rid of the competition?” Morgana suggested. “He could want a monopoly on the industry.”

“That only raises the question of who this could be.” Ann pointed out. “Staging a terrorist attack isn’t exactly the best way to promote your start-up.”

“Well, I think that one attack isn’t enough to draw conclusions. As much as we want to avoid a second attack, we need more data if we’re going to establish a pattern.” Makoto stated.

“Damn. This sucks! We didn’t have to do this shit with the past villains.” Ryuji rested his head against the table.

“What are you complaining about Ryuji? I’m the one that’s gotta fight him!” Ren said.

The group continued to talk about what was going on in their lives. Meanwhile, over in Akihabara, the various tech dispensers were selling out of the latest game consoles. Shops were flooded with customers trying to get their hands on one of the limited supply of consoles. 

Unbeknownst to the people below, above them, the sky had suddenly become overcast with dark green clouds. Suddenly thunder boomed so loudly, it shook the streets below like an earthquake. As the people looked up into the sky, they watched as the largest of the clouds morphed in shape. A large humanoid figure rose from inside the cloud, only being visible from the waist up, it seemed as though the rest of him dissolved into the cloud.

“People of Tokyo!” Mysterio’s voice boomed along with more thunder. “Look at yourselves! Clawing your way through one another like animals! All in a desperate attempt to purchase the latest in technology to keep you feeble and enslaved! It seems you all have ignored my teachings and returned to your pathetic ways! You have all disappointed me, for that, you shall be punished! Maybe then you will be more open to my teachings!”

As he said that, the enlarged figure of Mysterio held a hand above him and a purple lightning bolt sparked to life right before he hurled it at the streets below. The bolt hit the street, singeing the concrete and setting off all the nearby car alarms. The people in Akihabara began to flee in terror as bolt after bolt struck the ground, nearly burning them alive.

“Holy shit! What do we do!?” The police nearby watched helplessly before trying to evacuate the citizens.

“I dunno! S’not like there’s protocol for fighting a goddamn lighting cloud!” Another officer replied.

“Does anyone see Spider-Man!?” A young rookie asked panickedly. “Where the hell is Spider-Man!?”

“Order number 13! Order number 13!” The employee at Big Bang Burger called out. “Who ordered the Big Bang Challenge?”

“Finally! ‘Bout time we got our food.” Ryuji said as he and Ren retrieved the food trays for the rest of the group.

“Ugh, feels like we’ve been waiting hours to eat!” Ann said as she grabbed her chicken wrap.

“Um, could you possibly spare some fries Ann?” Yusuke said, looking at his miniscule kid’s meal.

“Don’t even think about touching Lady Ann’s food!” Morgana cried as he got between the two.

“Ren, do you really think it’s healthy to eat those things? I feel like I gained 5 pounds just looking at it.” Makoto said as she picked her salad off the tray.

“Makoto, I need like 10,000 calories a day just to function. I can’t really afford to get them through quinoa and branzino.” Ren said as he grabbed his Cosmo Tower Burger. “God, I’m starving.”

Just as he was bringing it to his mouth, Ren’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He set the burger down to check the text, considering who was here, there was really only one person who could really be texting him right now. And she only texted when there was work to be done.

“Akihabara. Mysterio. Now.”

“Well,” Ren said as he stood up. “Duty calls.” As he was about to walk away from the table, he turned around and pointed to his burger. “Could someone get a to-go bag for that?” With that, he grabbed his bag and ran out of the restaurant.

The rest of the group was left wondering what had just happened. Makoto quickly fished her laptop out of her bag and set it on the table. She was sure that whatever had just come up, it was Spider-Man related. A quick web search led to live news footage depicting a giant Mysterio throwing lightning like Zeus onto the streets below.

“Holy shit!” Ann said, pushing past Ryuji to get a better look at the feed. “R-err...Spider-Man’s got this, right?” While she didn’t believe in magic, it was undeniable that Mysterio had power. And what kind of a friend would she be if she didn’t worry about her friend’s safety. Yes, that’s why she was so nervous, Ren was a friend. A really, really ho-good friend.

“Damn. If that ain’t magic, I don’t know what is.” Ryuji said as he craned his neck to see.

While everyone else was busy watching the video, they were unable to notice Yusuke subtly sliding Ren’s burger towards himself.

High above the streets, Ren was already in full costume swinging towards Akihabara. Even from here, he could see his ginormous fishbowl head through the clouds.

At this point, Ren had already seen behind the curtain. Those mannequins from the other night were mechanical, not magical, and if they were fake, everything else was fake. But in all honesty, Ren had no scientific explanation for what was happening right now, but that wouldn’t stop him from stopping Mysterio here and now.

He was in Akihabara now, directly beneath the cloud. The streets beneath him had been cleared of all bystanders, but by the looks of it, Mysterio wasn’t interested in them. Instead, the man of mystery was raining lightning onto the buildings and cars, setting fires where the bolts landed. Clearly, he had a vendetta against technology, which had to make this guy a huge hypocrite.

Ren fired a webline into the cloud, hoping to hit something, maybe he could tear this whole illusion apart. However, he had no luck, as the web passed through the cloud like well, a cloud. Before he could try again, his spider-sense went off, and he managed to avoid the lightning strike just as it struck the roof he was standing on.

Ren could feel the hair standing on the back of his neck. Even if this was fake, the danger was certainly real.

“Okay, so I can’t damage the cloud. I’ll just punch him in his big dumb dome.” Ren said to himself.

He hopped down to the street below, finding two street lamps, an idea popped into his head. He shot out several weblines to each and slowly walked backwards. When the tension was high enough, and the metal posts began to creak, he jumped, letting the weblines slingshot him up into the air.

Ren flew straight towards Mysterio, his fist raised with blue lightning charged in it. As he got in close, he was surprised when the giant figure turned towards him, acknowledging that he was there for the first time since Ren had arrived.

“Not so fast Spider-Man.” Mysterio raised both of his hands straight at Ren and fired two giant beams of green energy into his chest.

Ren was sent flying back, accidentally triggering his webshooter in the process. He flew straight into a building across the street, cracking the wall before sliding down. Mysterio laughed at his opponent’s defeat before his image flickered.

“What!?” The large figure cried out in surprise, dropping his typical bravado for a moment.

As Ren lay on the street, his gaze rose up from the ground, tracing the webline from his left hand, he saw that sitting at the end of the line, was a drone.

“Gotcha.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cracks in Mysterio's armor are beginning to show. And with no time to spare, his third act is approaching and it promises to be his biggest one yet! Sorry it took so long to put this chapter together. I was struck by some serious writer's block for a while. I hope that isn't reflected in the quality of this chapter. Lemme know what you guys think. Hey FYI the b key on my laptop is broken and it's causing me some major headaches, so if you see any mistakes that get past me, let me know, I take pride in my grammar skills and having to deal with this annoys the crap out of me. Let me know what you guys think!


	63. Chapter 63

[87]

“In other news tonight, an attack in Akihabara by the masked villain Mysterio was thwarted by our very own, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The video of their battle was captured by our very own, Channel 4 News helicopter.”

The feed on the television cut to a shaky video camera from a bird’s eye view recording the large figure of Mysterio battling a quickly moving speck in the distance. While it was too far away to make out the figure, based on how it moved, it was undeniably the wallcrawler. Mysterio suddenly fired two green beams from his palms and slammed the speck into a wall.

“It appears that Mysterio has landed a strong blow against Spider-Man.” The reporter’s voice barely registered over the chopper’s blades. “Hopefully, our hero can rise again and-wait, what’s going on?” The reporter questioned as the camera turned back to the fight.

“What!?”

The large figure suddenly blinked in and out of existence, much to his dismay. Mysterio panicked for a moment before his form solidified once more.

“Drat! My…My magic is fading! Curse you Spider-Man! This city will know my wrath! When I return for my third act, this city, and these people, they will choke on their pride! The monument to your technological reliance shall crumble and your very way of life shall end!”

With that, Mysterio threw his hands up once more and green smoke quickly enveloped his body, creating an even larger cloud. Suddenly, thunder rang out and lightning lit up the sky. The screen was white for a moment, and when it returned to normal, nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the Tokyo skies. Not even a wisp of green smoke was left in sight.

The screen returned back to the news anchor. “We interviewed Tokyo citizens to get their perspectives on the situation.” The screen then cut to a series of random citizens being interviewed on the street.

“It was crazy! I was in my cubicle just doing some work, when all of the sudden that fishbowl guy is outside my window ranting about something I don’t know. Then these f***king fire things started flying at the window trying to attack me and my coworkers! He webbed them all up and tossed them away before they exploded! S**t was crazy, man!”

“I was out getting a new TV when all of the sudden, POW! Lightning strikes not 5 feet away from me! I got in my car and booked it out of there asap! If Spider-Man hadn’t beat that guy, we would’ve all died for sure!”

“We were investigating a suspected hideout of Mysterio. It was the scariest job of my career. These mannequin things ugh, I still shudder at the thought of them. I thought for sure I was going to die there, then suddenly Spider-Man was there, ushering us to safety and taking on the enemy himself. He saved my life that night, I’m sure of it.”

“Spider-Man!? He’s a menace! A menace I tell you! I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if him and this ‘Mysterio’ character were working together! They’ll rob us blind! Hey! Where are you going!? I’m not done yet! He’s a menace! A menace!”

The news anchor turned to a chart to his right. “As you can see by public polls. General approval of the new Spider-Man has had a recent spike in the past few days. I think it’s safe to say, this new Spider-Man is filling the boots of his predecessor quite quickly.”

With that, Ren turned away from the television and resumed washing the dishes. It was a busy night in the Velvet Room, everybody present was chatting loudly, mostly regarding today’s earlier events.

“It’s a lot livelier than usual in here. What’s with the huge crowd tonight?” Ren asked, turning towards Theo who was washing dishes next to him.

“Margaret didn’t tell you? We have a very special performer tonight. The famous singer and actress, Yukari Takeba. She pulls in quite a crowd whenever she performs.”

Ren had never heard of her before, but she must be pretty good if she can fill up this place. As he finished putting away the clean dishes, he entered the kitchen and checked the window for any orders, surprised to find none.

“Huh,” Theo said as he examined the window as well. “That’s a surprise. I suppose the people here are too drawn into the show to order food.” He placed his hand under his chin and thought for a moment. “Well, I suppose if there’s nothing left to do in here, you may as well go out and enjoy the show. You’ve been such a help lately, think of it as a reward.”

“That’s...Thank you. Are you sure? I’m sure I could sweep or-”

“No no no, I insist. It will be quite a treat. So please, enjoy the show.” Theo said, practically pushing Ren out of the kitchen.

As he stepped out onto the main floor, Ren noticed the crowd quieting down. It looked like the show would be starting soon. Seeing that all of the tables and booths were packed, he instead leaned against a back wall.

The lights in the club dimmed everywhere except for the stage where a lone microphone stood. Out from behind the blue curtains, a woman emerged receiving a round of applause at the mere sight of her. Her looks were stunning, her medium length light brown hair framed her gorgeous face perfectly and her pink dress showed off her impressive figure nicely. The woman approached the microphone and began to sing as a soft, jazzy melody came on in the background.

“Where have you been?  
Been searching all along.  
Came facing twilight on and on.  
Without a clue…”

Her voice was calming, complimenting the music nicely. The club was suddenly filled with a soothing atmosphere. So this was Yukari Takeba. She was very talented, and beautiful as well. No wonder she was famous.

“Ah, what a lovely song, isn’t it?” A voice came from beside Ren.

He quickly turned toward the source, seeing a familiar man with long brown hair standing next to him. It was the same reporter who’d helped him during Tombstone’s attempted takeover.

“Ak-Oh um, yes.” Ren caught himself. 

While the two had met before, Ren was in costume at the time. Suddenly, Ren’s mind was racing. Why was Akechi here? Did he know Ren’s identity? What if he said something that gave himself away?

“Sooo, you’re a fan of Yukari’s?” Ren asked quietly.

“Not an avid one, but after tonight I may be. I’m actually a reporter, I’m here because there’s a lot of talk about the recent attacks going on here, and I thought I might pick up on something.”

“Huh, neat idea.” Ren said, hiding his relief.

“Oh, how rude of me not to introduce myself. Goro Akechi.” He offered his hand, his eyes still on the stage. “It’s nice to meet you Ren.”

Suddenly Ren’s heartbeat shot up once again. “H-How did you-” He said in a hushed tone.

“Your nametag.” Akechi pointed towards Ren’s chest where indeed, his employee nametag was pinned to his shirt.

“Oh...right.” Suddenly Ren’s phone started to vibrate in his pocket. Thank God he’d set it on silent or he’d be getting some nasty looks right now. “Sorry, I need to um.” He held up his buzzing smartphone.

“By all means.” Akechi gave him a dismissive wave. “We’ll still be here when you get back.”

“We?” Ren looked confused.

Akechi’s eyes widened for a moment. “Um, myself and the music, of course.” He gave a wide smile.

“Okaaay.” Ren hurriedly walked outside, standing in the cold night air. His breath slightly visible under the lights of the front door.

He held the phone up to his ear and accepted the call. “Hello?”

“We were duped.” Naoto’s voice came over the other end. “Mysterio played us for fools.”

“What are you talking about? What happened?”

“During his last attack, Mysterio’s damn flying monkeys broke into evidence lockup and torched the mannequins. We don’t have a damn thing.”

“For real!? No leads? Nothing?”

“Nothing. It’s...agh!” Naoto let out a cry of frustration. “We can’t...I...I don’t know what to do.”

Ren felt terrible for her, but at the same time he couldn’t help but wonder if Mysterio wasn’t the only thing causing her frustration. As he wondered what he could do to help, a thought struck him. How could he have been such a moron!? Maybe he’d hit his head harder than he’d thought.

He quickly looked around for any bystanders before he ran into the alleyway next to the club. Stuck to the side of the wall behind the dumpster was his backpack. After he detached it from the wall, he dug around in his bag, pulling out a large object with 4 propellers.

“Naoto I, um...We may have something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the next chapter out with no breaks in between! I'm really getting into it now that we're approaching the end of the arc. I like how this arc is differing from the others and that Ren's relationships are being highlighted, but I'm only one person. You may have different opinion's than mine and that's great, please let me hear your critiques if you think the chapters or the arcs are too short, I genuinely want to hear what you all think, good or bad. Hey, have you guys watched Queen's Gambit on Netflix? I'm watching it as I type this and I'm really enjoying it. See you next time!


	64. Chapter 64

[88]

“Sojiro please! I need Futaba’s help!” Ren pleaded to the cafe owner. “There’s a big threat coming and I may not be able to stop it without Futaba!”

“Ren, I thought I made myself very clear. I don’t want anyone in this household getting involved in crime. If it’s so important, then take it to the police.” Sojiro stood behind the counter with his arms folded.

While the old cafe owner was (secretly) glad to see Ren again, he didn’t want his daughter getting involved in any more vigilante business. He’d made Wakaba a promise to keep her daughter safe and even if that meant she hated him, he would keep that promise.

“This isn’t safe with the police! The last time they got their hands on Mysterio’s stuff, he managed to get in and torch the place!”

Sojiro’s eyes widened. “Wha-And you decided to bring it here!? Get out! Leave before I make you leave!”

“Sojiro-”

“NO!” Sojiro slammed his hands on the counter. “I don’t want to hear it! Find someone else to help you! I won’t have you putting my daughter in harm’s way!”

Realizing that the situation was hopeless, Ren’s shoulders slumped and he walked out of the cafe in defeat. He pulled out his phone and checked the group chat. Ann had asked if he’d had any luck.

“None.” He typed back to her.

Mysterio would be attacking any day now, and all they had to go off of was a beat up drone that might not even lead them anywhere. Without Futaba’s help, Ren wasn’t sure that he knew anyone else who could hack this thing to find Mysterio.

Suddenly, Ren’s phone buzzed once more, this time with a call from the student council president.

“What’s up?” Ren asked her.

“We may not actually need the drone.” Makoto said her voice was notably tired, the sound of typing made clear in the background. “I’ve been doing some background research into the attacks. I’m in the student council room right now, come over and I’ll show you what I’ve found.”

“Why are you at school? It’s Saturday.” Ren pointed out.

“I...Look it’s not important! Just get over here! I’ll text the others.”

“Got it.” Ren replied as he approached the subway. Now that he had money, he could afford to use the train like everyone else and save himself some web fluid.

He arrived at Shujin quickly, running up the stairs to the third floor and straight to the student council room. Much to his surprise, he was the last one there.

“Good you’re here.” Makoto said, getting up and walking over to the board. “Now we can start.” She flipped the board over, revealing a classic cork board covered in photos and notes connected by red string.

“Jesus Makoto!” Ryuji said in surprise. “Conspiracy theory much?”

“It’s evidence Ryuji. This is just an efficient way to organize it.” Makoto defended.

“Uh, how long were you working on this Mako? You couldn’t have just put this together today.” Ren asked.

“Can I just show you guys what I found!?” Makoto said, flushed with embarrassment before turning back towards the board.

“Alright,” She said as she pointed towards an image of Mysterio. “Let’s start with the first attack. We know that Mysterio intended to blow up an office building with his explosive gargoyle things. But why would he do that? How does that further his agenda of ridding Tokyo of technology?”

Morgana raised his hand only to be stopped by Makoto.

“It was rhetorical. What’s important to focus on is who owned the office building.” She pointed towards a logo on the board. “Shido Sciences, the number one tech company in Japan. As far as targets go, it makes sense if one wants to target tech. But why go after an office building rather than one of the labs? This one you can answer.”

Morgana was stumped, shrugging at the question. Ren stepped in, answering in his place. “Aren’t the labs like super reinforced? They’ve got guards everywhere and who knows what else.”

Makoto pointed to Ren with a smile. “Exactly! He wants to hurt Shido Sciences’ bottom line, but doesn’t have the power to go after their labs, so he’s targeting their weaknesses. We know he’s using drones and robots to stage his attacks, but those can’t compete against the heavy weapons that the labs are equipped with.” She pointed to another photo, this one of large Mysterio. “So what about the second attack? If he’s after Shido Sciences, why attack Akihabara?”

“Well, it’s like the place to buy tech.” Ann pointed out. “He said he was angry that people were still going there after what he’d said. Wait, wasn’t that attack just meant to distract the police so he could destroy the evidence the police had?”

“That may be what he wants us to think. You never know what might be a trick with this guy. Here, take a look at these.” Makoto set out a number of forms across the table.

“Ugh! It’s Saturday man, I don’t wanna do homework! Can’tcha just tell us?” Ryuji complained, leaning back in his chair. It was pretty clear he wasn’t following.

“These are missing item reports.” Ren said, examining a form. “From the stores across Akihabara.”

“Soooo what? Mysterio wanted a PS5?” Ryuji asked.

“No.” Makoto chimed in. “The missing items included things such as processors and other computer parts, top of the line drones, and high voltage lithium ion batteries.”

“Uh, are we even sure it was Mysterio? Looting is pretty common during catastrophes.” Morgana pointed out.

“But why would they only steal these things instead of the items in higher demand? Not to mention, Mysterio’s lightning strikes just happened to have knocked out the security cameras in all of the stores that were robbed. I think he needed the extra firepower, I think it’s because his final act is going to be on a scale much larger than any of his other attacks combined.”

“My God.” Yusuke said in awe. “He must be planning quite a spectacle.”

“But how can we stop it before it happens?” Ren asked. “You said you might’ve found that out?”

“Well, it’s just speculation for now, but I did some digging. Remember that warehouse where you fought all the mannequins?” She asked Ren.

“How could I forget?” He responded. “Those things are gonna haunt my nightmares. That place was supposed to be Mysterio’s base of operations, but it turned out to be a trap.”

“Well, I looked into it. The warehouse was owned by a defunct clothing company, but that company was owned by another company that was owned by none other than…” She pointed to another logo on the board. “Okumura Enterprises!”

“...”

“You think Okumura Enterprises is behind Mysterio? The eco-friendly, ‘peace not war’ company?” Ann asked.

Even though they were number two in terms of tech industries in Japan, Okumura Enterprises had a much better public reputation than their rival’s. While Shido Sciences took on military contracts and kept their doors closed to the public, Okumura Enterprises prided themselves on their openness and had a grand goal to reduce carbon emissions to zero.

“What did I tell you guys? Corporate! Sabotage!” Morgana said smugly.

“It doesn’t surprise me too much.” Ren said. “They were the people responsible for Molten Man nearly burning down the Skytree.”

“Uh guys, is there somethin’ I’m not getting? It’s a billion dollar tech company! Why the hell would they have to rob some stores to build an arsenal?” Ryuji pointed out.

“Perhaps they didn’t want to leave a paper trail?” Yusuke suggested.

“Or somebody from the company is acting alone and can’t use company resources without drawing unwanted attention. Which brings me to our number one suspect.” Makoto pulled a picture of a question mark off the board to reveal a photo behind it. “Kunikazu Okumura, head and CEO of Okumura Enterprises.”

“What makes you think it’s him?” Ren asked.

“I searched around online and according to dozens of rumors and testimonies from former employees, Okumura is a monster behind closed doors. He’s incredibly bitter about being number two and has done some questionable acts in the past in an attempt to claim the top spot, such as the Molten Man fiasco.”

“So that’s it then!” Ann said. “We take what we found to the police and they arrest him before he can have his third act!”

“Not necessarily.” Makoto said, looking down. “The evidence I gathered, while it may be enough for us, wouldn’t stand up in a court of law. Too much hearsay and speculation to be considered admissible evidence.”

“...”

“Maybe we can use the drone afterall.” Ren said, standing up. “If we can manage to find someone to hack this thing,” He held up the damaged drone. “When he begins the next attack, it should send out a signal to all of his drones. We could trace the signal back to Okumura and catch him in the act!”

“But you said you couldn’t convince Sojiro to let Futaba help! Who else could possibly-”

There was a sudden crashing noise outside the window. The group went over to check out what happened and if anyone was hurt. Out on the campus lawn, a familiar, clumsy woman picked herself off the ground and looked at the mess of computer parts strewn across the grass.

“Aww darn it! Not again!”

[89]

“Um, Father? Are you feeling alright?” Haru asked as she watched her father walk through the living room, noticeably pale and sweating. This was particularly odd as Sundays were typically her father’s day off. 

“What? Oh, Haru.” Kunikazu Okumura seemed to just notice his daughter was present with him in the room. “Yes, I’m fine. I’ll...be in my study.”

“But Father, weren’t we going to the unveiling for the new Shibuya today?”

Later that day, there was planned to be a grand re-opening of Shibuya to the public. After months of hard work, the section of the city that had been destroyed in the terrorist attack back in June was finally going to be opened up to the public. The reconstruction had been funded by Shido Sciences who wanted to completely renovate the sector with new devices to make it a ‘Smart City.’

“Just...Just go without me.” He reached into his pocket and brought out his phone. “Here, I’ll have Sugimura go with you. I’m sure that the two of you could use the time together.”

“Father you don’t have to-” But she was cut off by the sound of his office door shutting. “Oh…”

“Is everything alright, Miss Haru?” The voice of Haru’s maid, Kirumi, asked.

“Oh, yes Kirumi. Everything’s fine, I just need to get showered and dressed for the day.”

“Yes, right away. I’ll prepare your outfit for the day.” She hurried off to Haru’s room.

As Haru stood in the shower, letting the hot water pour over her back, she thought about everything that had been going on lately. Maruki’s formula hitting another roadblock, Father acting increasingly distressed, one might even say paranoid, having to deal with the horrible people in high society, and worst of all, her engagement to that awful man, Sugimura. That pervert only had two things he wanted out of her, her father’s money and...Haru shuddered at the thought of it.

“Agh!” She yelped in pain, realizing that she’d unknowingly turned up the shower’s heat. She turned the knob to off before stepping out. Wrapping a towel around her body, she stepped into her room and saw her clothes for the day laid out for her. She hadn’t seen this outfit before, it certainly...showed a lot.

“What do you think?” Kirumi’s voice came from her side.

“Oh!” Haru nearly fell back in surprise. “It’s, um...new. Where did this come from?”

“I got it for you! Just thought it might help impress that young man Sugimura.” Kirumi said, her eyes closed with a wide smile. “Why don’t you try it on?”

That was weird as well. Since when was Kirumi concerned with what Sugimura thought? She’d been the only one Haru confided her disgust towards that man in.

“I heard it was going to be cold today. Maybe I should wear something with more layers.” She began to walk to her closet.

“At least try it on, so I know it fits.” Kirumi insisted, her smile not fading.

“Oh, um alright.” Haru said, looking down at the outfit. She looked up and saw the maid making no attempt to leave. “Kirumi, I don’t mean to be rude, but...a little privacy?”

“Oh there’s no need to worry. It’s just us girls here after all.”

“Still, if you could.” Haru was getting progressively more uncomfortable.

For a moment, Kirumi’s smile faltered and for the briefest of moments, she almost seemed to...flicker? Haru rubbed her eyes and saw the maid leaving.

“Very well, I’ll go take care of the rest of my duties.” The maid said, leaving without looking back.

Haru put away the outfit that had been laid out for her and instead selected her favorite pink sweater and a long skirt. As she got dressed, she wondered why everyone was acting so weird today. Was she seeing things now too?

She entered the living room and saw none other than Sugimura sitting on her couch.

“Ah, Haru.” He stood up from his seat. “I got your father’s message and came over as quickly as I could. We can’t have you going out alone, the streets are dangerous these days, what with all of those villains running about.”

“Who...Who let you in? I didn’t hear the doorbell ring.” Haru asked.

“Your maid let me in. What was her name? Hirumi?”

“Kirumi. Where is she now?” Haru looked around, not seeing her in the living room.

“I...think she said something about assisting your father.” Sugimura walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her’s. “We have more important things to do, don’t we? Shall we go?”

Before Haru could respond, Sugimura was already leading her out the door.

“So you think the attack’s really going to happen here?” Ann spoke into her phone, standing amongst the crowd for the unveiling. She was dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans with sunglasses covering her eyes. (Ann had insisted on wearing a disguise even though Makoto assured her it wasn’t necessary.)

“That’s what Miss Prez said.” Ryuji responded, standing on the opposite side of the crowd. He was dressed as his usual self but had sunglasses and a fake blonde mustache. (Ryuji had insisted that if Ann got to wear a disguise, he should too.) “If we spot anything suspicious, we’ve gotta tell Ren asap.”

Ren, meanwhile, was perched on top of the roof of a nearby building, watching the event from a bird’s eye view. He paced the rooftop nervously, if he messed this up, a lot of people could get hurt, or worse.

“Any news yet Makoto?” Ren asked his phone nervously.

“No luck yet. It looks like Mysterio hasn’t started yet. But I’m positive he’s going to try something.” Makoto assured him, whispering into her phone. “He said the monument to our technological reliance would fall, I can’t think of any way to send a bigger message than attacking here and now.”

“Hey, Makoto?” A voice called from behind the girl.

“Just a second!” She called back. “Look, it’ll be fine. I’m sure you’ll do great. I gotta go, love you.”

“Ye-wait what?” Ren’s voice asked.

Makoto hung up, her eyes wide, mouth agape.

“Hey, Makoto?” The voice called again.

“Yeah, I’m coming now.” She walked back over to the computer, wading through the mess of parts on the floor as she did so. She reached the source of the voice who was currently typing away at her computer. Plugged into the side of the tower, was the drone Ren had caught.

“So you said a student was planning on using this for a prank?” Ms. Yamagishi asked. “Must’ve been one hell of a prank. This thing is dangerous! Flamethrowers, holographic projectors, and what I can only describe as a ‘sound cannon.’”

“Yeah...That’s why it’s so important that we find out who was going to use this. They could really hurt the school.” Makoto lied to the professor, as much as it pained her.

Back in Shibuya, Haru and Sugimura had just arrived and were stepping out of their limousine. From the look of it, the event was just about to begin. They stood at the back of the crowd while none other than the head of Shido Sciences, Masayoshi Shido, stepped onto the stage.

“Welcome all, to the unveiling of the first of what will undoubtedly be the future of living. We at Shido Sciences are so proud to-”

“People of Tokyo!”

From behind the stage, a large, winged creature covered in green scales rose above the streets. A dragon, one that seemed to be pulled straight from myth, was flying over the crowd. And atop the winged beast, was Mysterio.

“None of you heeded my warning, so the time has come. TO PAY!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got out another long chapter, we're getting close to the arc's end. I hope you all liked it. If you guys are confused about some of the things that happened this chapter, it will all be explained in due time. I think that the finale will be one of the most thrilling I've made so far. Prepare for some serious spectacle with absolutely no visual aids to help picture it! Until next time! Edit: Hey I have a question for you guys. Should I start titling my chapters? I've been thinking about doing it, but if it doesn't really matter either way to you guys, then I won't bother. I would go back and title the past chapters as well as future ones.


	65. Chapter 65

[90]

“Alright. Looks like it’s showtime!” Ren said, leaping off the roof into action.

“Hey! I’ve got something!” Ms. Yamagishi said to Makoto as the drone lit up. “I’m tracing the signal now!”

“Everybody, get out of here now!” Ryuji yelled, assisting the people around him to evacuate the area.

The citizens rushed out of the area as the dragon breathed a green fog that began to fall over Shibuya. Fleeing in every direction out of fear, the crowd moved wildly, screaming and pushing past one another in an attempt to escape.

As one woman fell to the ground, she was assisted up by two boys with blue hair.

“Now, you shall all choke on your sins!” Mysterio cried as the dragon took off, spreading its miasma even further. As the people began to breathe in the smoke, they began to cough sporadically.

As Spider-Man swung in to hit Mysterio, he was once again blasted away by Mysterio’s lasers.

“Dammit!” Ren said as he picked himself up off the street. “Why do I never learn?”

“Are you alright?” A soft voice from next to him asked.

Looking up, Ren realized that he recognized the voice’s owner. It was Haru, his fellow lab assistant at Shujin.

“That looked like it really hurt.” Haru continued, concerned for him.

“I’m fine, ma’am you need to get out of here now!” Ren said.

“I was looking for the person I arrived with, but then I saw you fall and…” Haru paused for a moment. “Your voice, it sounds familiar.”

The lenses of Ren’s mask widened. “Oh *cough* sorry the uh, the fall knocked the wind out of me.” He said in a deep voice. “That’s-that’s why my voice was weird…Just now.”

Haru gave him a skeptical look. Suddenly, a roar rang out across the city streets. The two turned and saw Mysterio’s dragon flying straight for them.

“Okay time to go.” Ren said, grabbing Haru and swinging the two of them to safety. He got them a few blocks away before setting Haru down on the sidewalk. “There’s a subway station right around the corner, you should be safe there. I gotta go fight a dragon.”

“Wait!” Haru said, grabbing his wrist before he could leave. “Before he fires his lasers, there’s a startup noise about a half second long. That’s how you can tell they’re coming.”

“Wha-How do you know that?” Ren asked befuddled.

“I’m an observant girl. I saw a few videos and noticed a pattern after a while.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.” Ren had fought Mysterio two times already and hadn’t noticed the pattern until now. “I’m gonna go beat him now. Thank you Miss?”

“Haru, though I have the feeling you already knew that.” She replied with a smirk.

Fearing any further conversation would endanger his identity, he quickly took off, chasing after the beast causing havoc in the streets. He swung over the streets, unable to see through the thick green smoke.

As he searched for the masked villain, his dragon, or any civilians in danger, Ren’s phone rang. “What’s up?” He asked, not even checking who had called.

“It’s me,” Makoto’s voice said over the other end. “We traced the signal.”

“Awesome. Are we sending in the police? We need to stop him as soon as we can, it’s a mess here.”

“Well, the thing is, the signal’s not coming from where we expected.”

“What are you talking about? It’s not Okumura?”

“We don’t know that yet. The signal is coming from an apartment complex in Shinjuku. I already sent the others to check it out.”

“Which others?” Ren asked before spotting his target. “Nevermind, I gotta go.” He put his phone away, picking up speed as he chased after Mysterio and his monster.

Meanwhile, Ryuji and Ann got off of the subway in Shinjuku, running as fast as they could to the address they were given. As they got closer to their destination, they noticed that the area they were going into was more rundown and dirty than they’d pictured.

“Y’know, I thought a billionaire would have nicer digs.” Ryuji said as the two arrived at the apartment complex.

“He might be using this place as a cover. It could be dangerous Ryuji, so let’s be careful.” Ann warned him.

“You mean like booby traps? Or henchman? That’d be awesome!”

Ann slapped him in the back of the head. “Idiot. Look, let’s just get up there, smash whatever computers he has running his illusions, then Ren can take him out easily.”

The pair of them stepped into the building and took the elevator up to the fourth floor where the villain’s ‘lair’ supposedly was. They walked down the hallway before stopping at a room labelled ‘412.’ Instinctively, Ryuji held out his hand and knocked on the door.

“Did you just seriously knock on the door!?” Ann quietly scolded Ryuji..

“Well what didja want me to do? Kick the door down?”

“You idiot! There’s probably an evil henchman on the other side with a gun about to shoot us!”

As they spoke, footsteps thumped against the floor on the other side of the door. They suddenly came to a stop and a shadow could be seen beneath the door. The two teenagers silently gulped as they watched in fear, the wooden door slowly creaking open.

“Hello! What can I do for you?” A short, plump, and extremely cheery middle-aged woman with dark blue hair opened the door. Clearly she was in the middle of cooking a meal as she had a mixing bowl and wooden spoon in one of her arms.

Both of the blonds stared blankly at the woman, clearly not expecting this outcome.

“Uh, are you sure we’ve got the right apartment?” Ryuji whispered to Ann.

“Pretty sure. I mean, they could’ve been off by a room or two, right?” She whispered back.

“Oh! You must be friends of Yuuki’s! He didn’t tell me you were coming.” The woman said, ignoring their lack of response from her earlier question. “I’m so glad he’s finally making friends again! He’s always got his nose buried in books and his computer. It’s so nice of you two to visit. Please come in!” She stepped aside, welcoming them into her home.

Cautiously, (and more confused than anything) Ryuji and Ann entered the apartment. The layout was very standard, a kitchen, a living room, and a few doors that presumably led to bedrooms.

“YUUKI! Your friends are here!” The woman called out before returning to the kitchen. No response came back. “He’s probably playing those darn video games again. You two can just go on in. It’s the second door on the left. Would you kids like some oatmeal cookies?”

“No thank you ma’am.” Ann said, pulling Ryuji aside. “Did we just barge into some random sweet lady’s house?” She asked quietly.

“I don’t know! What do we do?” Ryuji whispered back.

“Maybe this ‘Yuuki’ is the guy we’re looking for.”

“Or he’ll be some random kid and we’ll have to explain to this woman what we’re doing in her home!”

“Ryuji, people’s lives are at stake. We have to check out this lead, even if it ends up getting us into trouble.” Ann said, reassured of her convictions.

Ryuji nodded and the two of them walked over to the door the woman had pointed out. Knocking yielded no response, but they could clearly hear sounds coming from the other side. Ann reached for the knob and turned it, surprised to find it had no lock.

When they entered the room, they were met with the sight of a dark, messy room filled with clothes, charts, random technology. The only light in the room emanated from several computer monitors on a desk. And sitting in front of that desk was a shadowy figure wearing headphones.

Ann flipped on the light switch and the room was filled with light, further showing the room’s disorder in greater detail. The figure in the chair spun around, revealing a familiar face to the two teens.

“MOM! I thought I told you not to come in when I’m-” The boy in the chair paused, staring at Ann and Ryuji.

“MISHIMA!?” Both of them yelled in unison, shocked to see the boy from school here.

“SAKAMATO!? TAKAMAKI!?” Mishima yelled in shock. “Wha...What are you doing here!?”

“Mishima, you...you work for Mysterio?” Ryuji questioned him, seeing the live feed from the attack on his monitor.

“Work for? Huh?” Mishima looked confused. “Nonono you guys don’t get it.” He waved his hands dismissively. “There is no Mysterio, not in a physical sense anyway. It’s all fake!”

“I don’t...I don’t get what you’re saying.” Ann responded.

“Basically, I guess you could say I am Mysterio.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big reveal this chapter! A lot of you are probably really confused by the reveal. Why would Mishima do this? His motivation will be revealed next chapter, but I'm curious as to what you guys think it might be. I've been cooking this twist up for a while now. I wanted you all to believe it was Kunikazu Okumura since he's the next boss of the game and his metaverse outfit looks like Mysterio. But I think I've got a good enough reason for it not to be him. And if you guys are wondering why Ann and Ryuji didn't recognize Mishima's first name, they exclusively call him by his last name in the game so I figured, "What if they don't know his first name?" and I know in Japan, it's common to address people by their last name so I think that idea still holds up. Let me know what you guys think. Until next time!


	66. Chapter 66

[91]

“What is this?” Ryuji asked. “Some kind of ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ thing?”

“Huh? No, look why don’t I just explain this from the beginning?” Mishima offered. 

“That would be helpful.” Ann said with crossed arms.

“It started just after our Hawaii trip. I was in Shibuya getting some footage of the damage for a documentary I was working on. While I was there, I saw a shop that was missing its front door, so I decided to get some interior shots. When I walked inside, I found what looked like it was once a hidden room behind a shelf. You guys wouldn’t believe what I found down there! I mean, the place looked mostly cleared out, but what I found leftover were these awesome modified drones and some blueprints for other gadgets!”

“Was the name of the shop? Ann asked. “Was it by any chance called ‘Untouchable?’”

“Yeah! How’d you know?”

“You found the workshop of the Tinkerer. The guy who armed the criminals in that gang war awhile back. You stole his equipment?”

“No! Well, not at that point. I left the store and went home after that. It was a few days later, after I heard about Spider-Man’s fight with Ms. Negative on the news, after which I saw all of these news channels bashing Spider-Man. They said that he caused too much property damage and didn’t do much to help the police. I couldn’t believe it! How could they not see how awesome he is!? How could they not see how much he does for the city!? He saved my life during Kamoshida’s attack on the school!”

“Wha? So you do like Spider-Man?” Ryuji asked, confused.

“Of course I do! I’m his biggest fan!” Mishima exclaimed. “I couldn’t just sit back and let the media bash on him like that! That’s when I got the idea for Mysterio, a villain so powerful, the police wouldn’t have any chance to stop him themselves. They would have to rely on Spider-Man! So I went back to Untouchable, grabbed the equipment, and set to work. You’d be surprised how easy it was to create these holograms, just some simple 3D modelling and wham! Instant illusions!”

“So you’re hurting all of these innocent people to raise R...Spider-Man’s popularity?” Ann questioned.

“That’s the beauty of it! Nobody’s getting hurt! Spider-Man stops the crimes before anyone can be injured or killed. And it’s working! Have you seen the news lately? The public can’t get enough of it! After today, not even Yoshida will be able to argue that Spider-Man is a hero!”

“But Shibuya...The attack that’s happening right now...There’s poison gas being spread throughout the city!”

“Don’t worry, the smoke just causes a temporary mild cough. No poison whatsoever.” Mishima said with a smile before turning back to his monitor that displayed drone footage and several long lines of code. In the footage being shown, Spider-Man could be seen fighting against Mysterio who was trying and failing to hit him out of the air. “Look, Spider-Man’s already up and fighting again. Now ‘Mysterio’ just needs to put up a good fight before being heroically defeated. I’ve got a great finale planned, you guys will love it, there’s gonna be lots of lights and explosions and I’ve got a great monologue written out.”

“Mishima! This isn’t a damn movie, someone could seriously get hurt! You need to stop this shit right now!” Ryuji said, reaching for the computer.

Suddenly, his hand was swatted away by Mishima. “No! You can’t stop it now! If the public finds out that Mysterio is fake, they’ll go back to hating Spider-Man! Just let this play out and it’ll be great! Everybody wins!” He began typing away on his computer and the Mysterio on-screen yelled out a cheesy line before sending out a legion of gargoyles.

“MISHIMA! You’re acting crazy! Stop this right now!” Ann grabbed one of Mishima’s arms and pulled him away from the computer.

Ryuji took this opportunity to step up to the computer and begin messing with it, trying to find a way to stop the drones.

“Let me go!” Mishima cried, struggling against Ann. “I have to finish this! I have to help him! I need to help Spider-Man! Let me do this!”

“No!” Ann pushed his rolling chair away and ran over to the computer, unplugging various cords at random. Neither she nor Ryuji were computer savvy at all so they just caused as much chaos to the system as they could.

“You don’t know what you’re doing!” Mishima ran at the two of them, tackling the pair to the ground. He wasn’t as strong as either of them, but he would fight like hell for the sake of his hero. “You’ll ruin everything!”

“Get off dude!” Ryuji tried to push Mishima off of him but the smaller boy clung tightly, not letting him move. “Can’t you see you’re the bad guy in all of this?” He elbowed the boy in the face to make him let go.

Mishima clung tightly, his nose bleeding and a bruise beginning to swell under his eye. “If that’s what it takes to show people the truth, then I’ll be the bad guy! I’ll show the world what a hero he really is!”

Ann managed to free herself from his grasp and ran to the desk, only to be tripped by Mishima before she could reach it. As she fell, Ann hit her head on the side of the desk and slammed onto the floor. She laid there, motionless, and for a solid 10 seconds no one said anything. The two boys watched as blood began to pool on the floor around her head.

“TAKAMAKI!”  
“ANN!”

Both of the boys cried out at once in concern for their friend. Ryuji took the opportunity to push out of Mishima’s weakened grasp. He ran to his friend’s side and saw her eyes closed and a large gash running down her forehead, bleeding profusely onto the floor.

“Ann, holy shit! Ann! Answer me! Ann!” Ryuji’s voice cracked as tears began to blur his vision.

Mishima knelt on the floor in silence, his eyes wide in shock. “I...I...I didn’t mean to...I just...I just wanted to stop her...Is she?”

Ryuji turned to Mishima, tears running down his cheeks and a furious expression in his eyes as he put pressure against the head wound. “What are you doing!? Get some bandages! Call an ambulance! DO SOMETHING FOR GOD’S SAKE!”

Mishima tried to stand up, but his legs gave out, shaking in fear. “I...I just wanted to help.” Was all he could say as he tried to pick himself up but failed again. “I just…”

“You son of a bitch!” Ryuji stood up, walking back over to Mishima and grabbing his shirt collar and lifting him up to his feet. “You want to help? HELP HER! HELP ANN!”

Mishima ran out of the room and into the kitchen, searching the drawers for a first-aid kit. His mother who was baking cookies while listening to her headphones turned to him.

“Hey honey what’s going on? I thought I heard yelling. Is that blood on you? What are you kids doing in there?” Her line of questions became increasingly more concerned.

“First-aid *huff* where?” He said, out of breath.

His mother looked at her son’s bruised and bleeding face with shock and concern. “Wha? Honey, what’s going on?”

“Mom I...There’s no time. First-aid kit, where!?”

“Second drawer down.”

Mishima grabbed the kit and ran back to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. When he arrived in the room he saw Ryuji furiously smashing the various computer towers on and around the desk. All of the work Mishima had put in, all of the long hours and sleepless nights he’d spent hunched over his desk in an attempt to help Tokyo’s greatest hero and do something productive with his life for once. All of it was being smashed apart by this blond idiot who didn’t understand a thing.

“STOP! Stop it right now!” He yelled, dropping the kit and pulling Ryuji back.

“NO! I won’t let you hurt anyone else!” Ryuji yelled as he turned and attempted to punch Mishima.

The smaller boy saw this blow coming however, and leaned out of the punch. Using this opportunity, Mishima hit Ryuji where he was weak, his bad leg, the one Kamoshida had broken last year. Kicking the leg as hard as he could, a snapping noise echoed in the room, followed closely by Ryuji’s cry of pain as he fell to the floor, unable to pick himself back up.

Mishima looked over his two friends lying on his bedroom floor, the shock of the situation leaving him frozen for a moment. What had he done? He’d just hurt two of the only people in the world who he could call friends. 

He really was the bad guy wasn’t he?

He looked down at his shirt, blood running down the white fabric, both his and Ann’s from when Ryuji grabbed him earlier. Suddenly he heard a noise from his computer, looking over, he saw that despite Ryuji’s destruction of the computers, some were still running. The battle in Shibuya still displayed on the monitor, though the remaining illusions were either flickering or dispelled entirely.

Remembering his reason behind doing this in the first place, Mishima’s gaze hardened and his will was reinvigorated. He locked the door to his room and took his place back at his desk. He was going to see this through to the end, no matter what came after.

“For once in my life, I’m going to make myself useful. Even if it means I have to be the villain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, I got a lot of comments from you all over the last chapter. Almost all of them were some version of "I didn't see that coming." So I hope this chapter did a good job of explaining the reasoning. Mishima isn't out to get revenge against a society that he thinks wronged him, he's a fanboy who's desperate to help his hero and make others see what he sees in him. This fight probably isn't what you expected the final battle to be, but I think this fight might have the most grounded stakes of any so far. Every punch hurts and every injury counts, Mishima didn't mean to hurt his friends but they got in the way of his ultimate goal and his one chance to be somebody. I think that this version of Mishima fits pretty well in the world I've made because his goals and motivations are the same as they were with the Phantom Thieves, only this time he can't have a change of heart. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments whether you enjoyed how this reveal turned out, or you would've rather had it been Okumura, or someone else idk. Until next time!


	67. Chapter 67

[92]

On Ren’s side of the fight, things had gotten strange, as he was dodging blasts from Mysterio’s palms, (made much easier now that he recognized the pattern, thank you Haru!) the dragon Mysterio was riding suddenly began glitching. The winged creatures features became obscured as it flashed numerous colors and quickly lost it’s shape. A horrible, technical screeching noise accompanied the flashing lights and Ren was forced to look away. When he turned back, rather than a masked villain riding a dragon, he saw a small army of drones floating in the air before him.

‘Yes! They did it!’ Ren thought to himself gladly. The others that Makoto had sent to Mysterio’s base must’ve messed with his tech. Now, with no illusions to hide behind, they would be easy targets to take down. Just as Ren thought this, the drones, which had been floating in place, all suddenly turned to him, weapons active.

“Oh shi-” He was interrupted before he could finish, hit with a sonic pulse by the legion of drones.

As he flew backwards onto the street, he managed to right himself midair and land on his feet. Ren quickly prepared for the next attack, but was surprised to find himself surrounded by a ring of drones. He braced himself for another attack, only to be surprised again when no attack came.

He looked up and saw one drone out of the ring approaching him, a light began glowing on a small device attached to the front of the drone and a holographic display of Mysterio appeared in front of him.

“Well well Spider-Man, it appears my secret is out. But will that really help you stop me?”

As Mysterio finished, Ren suddenly felt his spider sense go off right before a sonic pulse sent him flying backwards once again. He flew straight into the subway entrance and landed on his back in front of a crowd of civilians.

“Is that Spider-Man?”

“Did Mysterio really just beat him?”

“Oh my god! What do we do?”

The murmurs of the crowd sounded behind Ren as he picked himself up.

“God, today’s just not my day.” He said while cracking his back.

“Spider-Man! Are you alright!?” A concerned, familiar voice asked from the crowd.

Ren turned around and saw Yusuke and Morgana had pushed their way through the crowd to check on him. Before he could say anything, Mysterio’s legion of drones flew down into the subway. 

Ren turned back to his friends. “You have to get everyone out of here! NOW!”

“Come on Spider-Man, aren’t you going to rescue the civilians? Without you, they’ll be doomed!” Mysterio’s voice played over the drones’ speakers.

“Don’t hurt them!” Ren half ordered, half pleaded to the villain. He was still feeling pretty weak after the last few hits and any time he could buy would hopefully save lives. “They’ve done nothing wrong!”

“Ah, even when faced with mortal peril, your first concern is for others. That’s what I admire about you Spider-Ma-a-a-a-a-” The audio from the drones became distorted, repeating the last sound over and over.

Suddenly, all of the drones began to twitch and fly erratically, crashing into one another and falling to the ground.

“W-What the he-” Mysterio’s distorted voice began before being interrupted by static.

The crowd watched in stunned silence as the remaining drones hovered, the static coming through them was almost deafening to the crowd of onlookers who watched in suspense. Suddenly, a voice came over the static, one very different from the voice prior, and one Ren recognized very well.

“Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? *ahem* People of Tokyo! There’s no need to fear!” The female voice said in a mock tone. “For your new savior, Alibaba is here!”

It took everything in Ren’s power not to call out Futaba’s name at that moment. After having not spoken to the girl in weeks, here she was, saving his life yet again. He could honestly kiss her the next time he saw her. (But that would be totally weird since they had a brother-sister sort of thing going on...right?)

“Spider-Man! Destroy the drones now! I’ve only got control for a short time!” Futaba ordered.

Ren didn’t need to be told twice, he immediately set to work destroying the army of disabled drones.

Meanwhile, back in his room, Mishima was frantically typing code, trying to override whoever had taken over his controls.

“I can do this. I can do this! Oh god, think Mishima, think!”

As he typed away at his computer, he didn’t hear the pair of figures coming up from behind him. Ryuji, who’d managed to pick himself up despite his injury, put the smaller boy into a headlock and pulled him away from the computer.

“What are you-NO!” Mishima cried out, trying to knock Ryuji away. Suddenly Ann, blood pouring down the large gash on her forehead, picked up the boy’s keyboard and smashed it across his face so hard that the keys flew off. The blue haired teen fell to the floor, unconscious and with a bloody nose.

The two blondes stood over the boy’s limp form, looking down at the person they’d thought they knew.

“What happened to you Mishima?” Ann asked sadly. “You were our friend.”

The unconscious boy made no sound, only dripping blood onto the wooden floor of his bedroom.

With the villain defeated, the pair looked at the display on the monitors just in time to see Ren destroy the last drone, putting an end to Mysterio’s attack. Ryuji let out a sigh of relief, glad that this shit was finally over and done with. He looked over to Ann, only to see her dazed and about to fall over, her head wound was bleeding a lot.

“Shit.” Ryuji said as he assisted Ann to Mishima’s bed. “Hold on, we’ve got to address that wound.” He limped over to the first-aid kit that’d been dropped onto the floor and brought it back to Ann.

As he wrapped her forehead in bandages, he saw the sad look in the girl’s eyes as she stared at the wall.

“Is this our fault Ryuji? Were...were we not good enough friends?” She asked, tears rolling down her eyes. “I just...after everything that happened with Shiho...It feels like I keep letting down the people closest to me.”

Ryuji was silent for a moment, surprised by the statement. “No.” He said sternly. “Whatever kind of shit led Mishima to this moment, to resorting to this, it was his decision and his alone.”

Ann said nothing, only staring down at the smaller teen’s form on the floor as Ryuji finished tying up the bandages.

The two got up and began to walk out of the room, Ann assisting Ryuji with walking out of the room.

“What the hell are we gonna say to his mom?”

Haru arrived home later that night. After the day she’d had, she wanted nothing more than to go lay in bed. The attack had ended not too long after she’d gotten to safety, thanks to Spider-Man whom she couldn’t help but find something familiar about.

Sugimura had disappeared almost as soon as the attack had begun, which Haru found strange. Not that she was complaining, any time she got away from that man was a blessing.

As she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, Haru couldn’t help but notice that the lights were still on in her father’s study. Had he really been there all day? Well, if he was still awake, she wanted to see him and maybe tell him about what had happened today.

As she opened the door, she was surprised to find her maid, Kirumi, standing in front of her father in his chair. Only, the two weren’t talking. Instead, clutched in the maid’s hand was a bloody knife, and Kunikazu Okumura was slumped back in his chair, blood seeping out of the wound in his neck.

“F-Father!?” Haru gasped in shock at the sight, clutching the table next to her for support.

“Haru!” Kirumi turned around, surprised to see the girl here. “Oh, um...This isn’t what it looks like!” The maid dropped the knife and began to walk towards Haru. “Now now Haru, we don’t need to do anything rash here.”

“Stop!” Haru ordered, grabbing a letter opener on the table and holding it defensively. “Stay away!”

“Haru! What are you doing!? You know me! You’ve known me for years! It’s me, Kiru-”

“YOU’RE NOT KIRUMI!” Haru interrupted. “You’ve been acting strange ever since this morning! I saw something! Something weird earlier! I thought I was seeing things, but you’re not her!”

“Oh Haru.” Kirumi said, a devious smirk suddenly appearing on her face. “You always were too observant for your own good.” As she spoke, Kirumi’s voice became deeper and more masculine. 

The maid’s image flickered just like before, only this time it was replaced by the image of a man in a white full bodysuit with a mask with two small eyeholes. The figure that stood before her was taller than Kirumi, yet somehow he’d appeared to be the same size as her before.

“It’s good to see you again Haru. Sorry about cutting our date short earlier, but I figured it was a great opportunity for me to get some ‘work’ done.”

“S-Sugimura!?”

“The one and only!” The white clad figure flickered once again, this time into Sugimura’s form. He was even dressed in the same outfit he’d been wearing earlier. “But when I’m on the job, I go by The Chameleon.”

Haru turned to look at the bloody body of her father on the couch, then back at Sugimura, her weapon still raised at him.

“Yeaaah sorry about the mess.” He said, looking over at the man’s body. “It wasn’t supposed to go down like that. I put a mild poison in his tea this morning, but it looks like the old bastard was able to fight it, sooo I just did it the old fashioned way.” He mimed slitting a throat with his fingers and neck.

“B-But why?” Haru asked, tears in her eyes.

“Why else? I’m an assassin, I got paid to.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?”

“Oh Haru, what makes you think you’re getting out of here alive?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally back! Sorry about the long wait between this chapter and the last. It was finals week for me and I had a lot of work to get done, but I passed! I got a PS5 recently too, been playing that a lot. I've got Demon's Souls and Cyberpunk 2077 and I'm enjoying them quite a bit. Anyways, regarding the chapter, what do you guys think? It felt weird, getting back into the swing of things after being away for so long (by my standards) but I hope that the chapter doesn't reflect that. What did you guys think of the finale to the arc? There'll be more explaining the aftermath in the coming chapters. What do you guys think of Sugimura as The Chameleon? I think he fits the role pretty well. Also fun fact, the Chameleon was Spider-Man's first supervillain in the comics (followed closely by the Vulture) it's weird considering that he's considered a B or C list Spider-Man villain. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Until next time!


	68. Chapter 68

[93]

Haru’s blood ran cold at Sugimura’s words. Her eyes were wide with shock as her heart pounded against her chest. The letter opener she held between her and her father’s killer shook in her hand as its weight seemed to increase with each passing moment.

“Aww, did I scare you?” Sugimura taunted as he slowly took a step forward. “I’m sorry Haru, I can’t just let you tell people about me. Buuut if you’d be willing to *ahem* ‘bargain’ for your life…” Sugimura began to imply. “I’d be willing to hear it.”

The man took another step closer to Haru, gently pushing the weapon away. Her arm fell limply to her side as tears began to pour down her cheeks. Sugimura wormed his arms around her torso, holding the girl as she cried.

“Oh poor girl, don’t worry. I’ll help guide you throu-AGH!” He cried out as the letter opener was embedded into his shoulder blade.

Sugimura released her, attempting to pull the sharp object out of his back. Haru watched as his image distorted once more, returning to his white bodysuit, only now with dark red streaks running down his back.

Snapping out of her trance as her adrenaline kicked in, Haru ran out of the room before Sugimura recovered. She wasn’t granted much of a head start though as the voice of the murderer called out after her.

“Fucking bitch! I’m gonna make your death hurt now! Dammit!” The sound of footsteps chasing after her followed closely after.

Haru didn’t listen to him, she was too preoccupied with trying to escape her own death. As she ran straight to the front door, she didn’t see Sugimura grab a remote from off of the table and point it at the door, locking it remotely. The girl grabbed the door handle and attempted to pull the door open, only for it to not budge an inch. 

‘Damn these smart houses!’ Haru thought as she fled in an alternate direction. The door could still be opened without the remote, but doing so required a code that would take her too long to input.

As she ran into the hallway, she noticed that Sugimura wasn’t running after her anymore. Now that the only escape from the penthouse apartment was blocked off, he was confident, cocky even as he slowly stalked the girl through the apartment.

Haru took refuge in a linen closet, trying to control her erratic breathing as she heard the soft footsteps of Sugimura slowly coming down the hall.

“Haaaruuu, that was awfully mean of you. I mean, do you have any idea how much this suit costs?” His voice taunted before suddenly going quiet, only the creaking sound of footsteps on the floorboards could be heard for several long moments.

“Haru! It’s me!” The voice of her father called. “Come on! We need to get out of here quickly!”

Haru felt a lump in her throat at the thought that her father survived, but she wasn’t fooled for a moment. She remained where she was, trying to steady her breathing.

“Haru *cough* p-please! I *cough* don’t have long! We need to run! Now!”

Despite the pulling of her heartstrings, she didn’t budge.

“No? Nothing?” Sugimura’s voice asked. “Wow Haru, I never suspected that you were so cold-blooded. I mean really, what if I really was your dying father? Would you just leave me to bleed out? Alone?”

As he spoke, Haru could hear Sugimura getting closer and closer to her hiding place. She searched desperately for something to defend herself with, only to find blankets and pillowcases.

“Could you possibly be in...HERE!?” He ripped open the door to the linen closet, only to be pushed down as Haru rushed past him. Only having bought herself a few seconds, Haru didn’t rush to the front door. Instead, the girl ran into her room.

Sugimura quickly followed after her. “Really? You’re going to hide beneath the covers? I knew you were childish but-” He was cut off once again as an object came into view as he entered the doorway.

Haru hadn’t ran into her room to hide, she had gone to grab something. A gift she’d received a long time ago from her mother. Something she used whenever life with her father became too stressful and she needed to blow off some steam. 

Haru grabbed her axe.

The blade wasn’t sharp enough to kill, it was barely enough to break the skin. But with the force Haru swung with, combined with the axe’s weight and the speed that Sugimura was running at, it slammed into his gut and broke straight through his suit. The Chameleon doubled over in pain, gasping for breath after having the wind knocked out of him. Blood seeped from his wound.

Haru released the axe and gasped in shock, she hadn’t been thinking when she used the axe. While it had been in self defense, she’d never actually hurt someone, let alone to this degree. Her first instinct was to check if he was alright, before remembering who it was that was in front of her.

“Damn *wheeze* Haru, I didn’t think you *wheeze* had it in you. I guess you are your father’s daughter.” His form shifted once again and he took on the face of Kunikazu Okumura.

Haru began to tear up again. The stress of everything that had happened in such a short time was getting to her.

“But it looks like you don’t have the guts to finish me. And that’ll be your last mistake.” He stood up, clutching his wound. As he continued to speak, his appearance shifted each second. “Next time, you won’t see me coming. I can be anyone. I can be anywhere. And you’ll never know. See you soon Haru.” With that, Sugimura moved out into the hallway. 

Haru got up to follow after him, but when she entered the hallway, it was completely empty.

[94]

Ren wasn’t used to not being the one injured after a battle, but on this occasion, he would’ve preferred that to the current situation.

It was an hour after the fight when he got the call from Ryuji, telling him that he and Ann had been admitted to the hospital following their encounter and subsequent fight with the real Mysterio. The news of Mysterio’s true identity came as a shock to Ren, he’d never expected Mishima, the shy boy from his class who’d never hurt a fly, to become a super villain. When Ryuji explained Mishima’s reasoning behind what he’d done, Ren was even more devastated, in a way, he was responsible for Mysterio’s creation. Before he could feel any more guilt over the situation, Ryuji had reassured him that none of this was his fault, that Mishima was the one responsible. Still though, Ren wasn’t entirely convinced he was free of blame.

Between himself and Ann, Ryuji had (according to him) come out of the confrontation less scathed. His leg, previously broken by Kamoshida, had been dealt a heavy blow by Mishima and needed to be reset. He’d have to wear a knee brace for several weeks and wouldn’t be able to run for even longer. Ann had suffered a concussion from her fall and was currently receiving stitches for the large gash in her forehead. The cut to her head was so deep that it would leave a noticeable scar running down her forehead.

When all of the explanations were finished, the two boys were left sitting in the hospital waiting room for Ann to come out. A TV mounted on the wall displayed news coverage of Mysterio’s attack. It seemed that, despite Mishima’s belief that the attack would be harmless, 26 people had been injured, mostly being trampled in the crowds' attempt to escape, and 3 people had been killed, two in a car crash and one from an asthma attack caused by the gas.

“Dammit.” Ren said, holding his head in his hands. What kind of hero was he if he couldn’t stop a villain who wasn’t even trying to kill people?

“What should we do?” Ryuji asked. “About Mishima, I mean. Do we turn him in? How do we explain to the police-”

“I don’t know Ryuji!” Ren shouted without meaning to. Upon receiving stares from the other patients in the waiting room, he realized just how loud he’d been. “I’m sorry man it’s just...I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do in this situation. I failed big time. All of this could’ve been avoided if I’d just-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”

As she entered the waiting room, Ann interrupted Ren’s train of thought. Her forehead was wrapped in fresh bandages, but otherwise the blonde girl seemed no worse for wear.

Before he could even think, Ren ran over to the girl and enveloped her in a hug. Blushing at the sudden embrace, Ann quickly accepted the hug, her heart fluttering as she did so.

“Ann! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Ren no longer cared about his volume. “If you had...I-I’d never forgive myself.”

“What the hell?” Ryuji interrupted the reunion. “Why does she get special treatment? I got hurt too y’know!”

“Guys!” Suddenly, the rest of the team entered the waiting room. Makoto, Yusuke, and Morgana ran over to embrace the rest of the team. This situation with Mysterio had been the groups first outing as a team working together to take down a villain rather than Ren going solo, and more than anything, they were all glad that everyone could walk away from the fight.

“We were so worried!” Makoto exclaimed. “When we got Ryuji’s text, we came as fast as we could! Ann are you alright?”

“I’m okay, just a scratch, nothing major.” She replied, waving off Makoto’s concerns.

“...I’m fine too y’know!” Ryuji interjected, hoping to get a little sympathy.

“HEY!” The group turned to the unfamiliar voice, its owner a gruff, bearded man in his forties. “Can you take the reunion somewhere else!? Other people have things going on too!”

Now embarrassed, the six teens decided to follow the man’s advice and exited the building. Ren was surprised to find it dark out, he hadn’t thought he was in the hospital that long, but he had been rather busy talking with Ryuji. As the group headed out the door, they conversed further, trading stories about their experiences during the attack. About to join in on the conversation, Ren was interrupted when his phone buzzed with a text.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone. He’d expected the message to be from Naoto, possibly wanting a debriefing on the attack, so when he read the sender’s name, he was surprised to see it was from someone else. The message was from none other than Futaba, and despite having not spoken to him in weeks, the girl kept the message short, only two words long.

“Leblanc. Tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I know that both of these chapters ended up pretty short, but I really felt like I couldn't expand on them further. Originally I was just going to release the first chapter by itself, but I decided it was too short and decided to tag an extra chapter on to make it longer. Now for some notes: You guys probably think that Sugimura's a pretty shitty assassin if he couldn't defeat a single, unprepared girl, but my reasoning for that is that the Chameleon specializes in stealth and mind games rather than combat. I recently watched "The Invisible Man" and decided that I wanted to base this version of the Chameleon of off that. Don't expect him to really get an arc as a fight between him and Ren wouldn't last very long, instead he'll be terrorizing Haru in her everyday life and trying to mentally break her. This will be her catalyst for joining the team (finally). The other chapter, with Ren and the gang, mostly exists to get everyone on the team up to speed and to lead us into our next arc. What does Futaba want? What will happen next? Find out soon!


	69. Chapter 69

[95]

As Ren Amamiya stepped into Leblanc for the first time in weeks, he wasn’t sure what to expect. 

Would Sojiro throw him out? Would they make up? In all honesty, Ren had no idea if Sojiro was even mad to begin with. He’d been forced to leave due to his refusal to quit being Spider-Man, but there hadn’t really been a fight, just a mutual agreement that if he were to continue down this path, he could no longer stay there.

To his surprise, Ren found Sojiro standing behind the counter, seemingly waiting for him to arrive. Futaba was there too, seated on one of the stools and drinking a steaming cup of coffee. For some reason that he couldn’t point out, Futaba seemed different, more...mature. While her physical appearance hadn’t changed in the slightest, she had a more adult air about her.

“Ren.” Futaba smiled as she brought her coffee cup from her lips. The younger girl stood up from her stool and walked over to Ren, her head hung low, before wrapping her arms around him and pushing her face into his chest. “I missed you.” She said softly, not budging an inch.

Ren gladly returned the hug, patting the orange haired girl on the back. This hug felt different as well, different from the ones they’d shared previously. Something about it sent chills down the boy’s spine, but in a good sort of way. Did that make sense? With her head directly beneath his, he caught a whiff of Futaba’s hair, it smelled like coffee. God how much he missed that smell, he missed being here with them. Naoto’s place was great, but it wasn’t his home, not to mention the awkward situation between them right now after...You know.

“It’s been some time, hasn’t it kid?” The voice of Sojiro called from behind the counter, his usual smirk on his face.

“Too much time.” Ren replied back, relieved that Sojiro was glad to have him here. “I really miss seeing you guys.”

The trio stood in silence for another few moments before Sojiro cleared his throat, clearly signalling Futaba. The girl turned back to Sojiro with a pouty face, mad that her hug had to end. When she turned back to Ren, her cheeks slightly pink, she poked her fingers together awkwardly.

“P-Please...have a seat.” She gestured to the booth next to them. Ren took his seat while Futaba and Sojiro sat across from him.

“Soooo, what did you guys want to talk about?” Ren asked, trying not to betray how nervous he was in this situation.

“Well why don’t we talk about what happened this morning, so you’re caught up to speed.” Futaba suggested. “See, while you’ve been away I’ve been…” She shot a glare at Sojiro. “Grounded, not allowed to touch any technology post 1943! So it was frustrating, not being able to help you out against that asshole-”

“Language!” Sojiro interrupted.

“That...villain...Mysterio. But we were watching the whole battle on the news. When it turned out that he was using drones and not ‘magic’ I was finally able to convince Sojiro to let me help you. And I totally came in clutch!” She yelled, standing up and raising her fist.

The two men simply stared at her awkwardly. Realizing that they had no idea what that meant, she sat back down, disappointed.

“Anyways,” She continued. “After showing off my amazing hacking skills and just how helpful I am to you, Sojiro and I had a little talk and came to an agreement.” She turned to Sojiro, waiting for him to finish for her.

The man in question closed his eyes and sighed before looking back at Ren. “If...maybe...you want to come back...I’d be willing to allow it.”

“Really!?” Ren said with wide eyes, shocked at the offer.

“Provided that you follow some guidelines and one very important rule.” Sojiro continued.

“Name it.”

“First of all, your Spider-Man stuff, I don’t want to see it around my home or my cafe. You can keep it out there and in your room. Second, you’re going to be lending more of a hand around here. For whatever reason, my shop seems to get more customers with you around and I’ve got bills to pay.”

“Okay that sounds easy enough.” So far he hadn’t listed anything Ren wouldn’t gladly do for him.

“And finally, the rule I want you to follow more than anything.” Sojiro’s expression became dead serious and he looked at both Ren and Futaba. “This applies to both of you. Watch each other’s backs, don’t let anything happen to yourselves or each other. If I so much even feel like one of your lives is in mortal peril, I’m pulling the plug on this whole thing. Got it?”

Ren thought back to earlier that morning, how so many people had gotten hurt, some even killed, because he wasn’t good enough. Could he guarantee Futaba’s safety? Could he even guarantee his own? Doubt wormed its way into Ren’s mind, making him rethink the situation.

“Of course we will!” Futaba yelled, slamming her fists on the table. “Ren’s an amazing hero! He’s saved countless lives even after being Spider-Man for only a few months! And with the others and I helping him out, we’re sure to save even more! Right Ren!?”

Futaba’s words brought about a realization in Ren, he had saved so many people in his time as Spider-Man. How many more would’ve died had he not intervened? What was he thinking? Of course he had to keep going! For their sake! He wouldn’t let his own self doubt cost anyone their lives.

“Right.” Ren nodded. “Sojiro, I promise you that under my watch, Futaba and I aren’t going anywhere.”

Sojiro was silent for a moment as he studied Ren’s expression. Seeing no hint of doubt in the boy’s eyes, he accepted the answer and shook Ren’s hand firmly.

“Good. I’m glad to have you back kid. Bring your stuff over tomorrow morning, we kept your room just how you left it. Too much of a damn hassle to clean.”

“He means he couldn’t bring himself to go up there since you left. Sometimes he’d even look upstairs longingly.”

“Aaaand it looks like someone just tagged an extra week onto their grounding.”

“What!? Come on Sojiro! You know it’s true!”

As the two of them began to argue, Ren couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia come over him.

He really was home again.

[Bonus]

Minato Arisato sat in his cell, watching the sun’s rays slowly crawl up the wall from his tiny, singular window. He was getting good at using it to measure the time, even placing notches in the wall to indicate the exact hour. Of course, this made telling the time during the night or a cloudy day practically impossible, but what could he do?

The process of trying to find the exact time might sound boring to a normal person, but to Minato, it was literally the most interesting thing he had going on at the moment. There was nothing else to do in his empty concrete cube besides flicking small rocks against the wall, but he’d already done that for two hours today so it had grown pretty old.

He did exercise regularly, at this point it was a part of his wake up routine and he could do it while half asleep, but one could only do that for so long before the body gave out. As a result of his intense training, Minato’s time in prison hadn’t left him any weaker than when he’d first entered.

As he continued to watch the light slowly fall towards the notch indicating 3 o’clock, he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door. That sound was then replaced by the sound of keys jingling and being inserted into the lock.

“Prisoner 7816! Stand in the corner of the room with your head against the wall and hands behind your back!”

Minato complied, but found the situation odd. He wasn’t scheduled for recreation today. Not to mention that it was way too late in the day for that. Something else was going on. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this, on the one hand, it beat crushing boredom, but on the other, this could be very, very bad.

His feelings began to drift towards the latter as when he stepped out of his cell, handcuffed and heavily monitored, he saw his cell neighbor in a similar situation. If he and Sho Minazuki were in the same situation, this couldn’t be good.

“What the fuck’s goin’ on!? You better tell me before I feed you your intestines!” Minazuki shouted before a black bag was placed over his head.

Immediately after, Minato’s vision went dark, indicating that he too was receiving the bag treatment. The next moment, the guards were pushing him and Minazuki up the stairs out of ‘The Cellar’ and up to the main prison floor. While they were walking, Minato could’ve sworn he saw the silhouettes of two other prisoners, each of a similar height and build to him and Minazuki, being pushed in the opposite direction. He really wasn’t liking where this was going.

They continued to walk for several more minutes before arriving in another room. He felt a sudden stinging sensation in the side of his neck and was suddenly pushed onto a table and felt cloth beneath him, the sound of a zipper accompanied by the last traces of light disappearing from his view confirmed what he assumed to be going on. His last thoughts before drifting off were of what hell awaited him when he came to.

An unknown amount of time later, he awoke sitting up, able to see now that the bag over his head had been removed. He looked around and noted that he was in a limousine, Minazuki sitting next to him, looking just as drowsy as Minato felt. When feeling began returning to his body, he noticed that he was still in handcuffs which were attached to the limo’s ceiling.

Before he could even attempt to move, the door on the other side of the limousine opened and a large, overweight, bald man took up the two seats across from them.

“Gentleman.” The man said with a sleazy voice befitting of his looks.

“I have a proposition for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I worked hard to get this chapter done in one night. I don't know why, but the more I write, the more encouraged I feel to write. Taking a break made me feel disinterested in continuing this story, but finally coming back and doing some more writing has reminded me why I enjoyed doing this in the first place so hopefully I'll be posting frequently again, but we'll see. Let me know what you guys think of the chapter! Any speculations as to what villain Minato is? It'll be confirmed soon enough so stay tuned and find out. Until next time!


	70. Chapter 70

[96]

It was the beginning of October when Haru finally returned to school. 

There had been a large funeral service for him and a smaller one for Kirumi, whose body had been recovered several days after Kunikazu’s murder. Haru couldn’t look anyone at the funeral directly in the eyes. All she could think was that somewhere, someone in that crowd was Sugimura, waiting for his chance to strike. 

She did listen to them speak though, hundreds of voices all speaking about stocks, salaries, and their positions in the corporate ladder. Not one person there seemed to feel any sadness for the man that had lost his life. So when the time came for her to speak on her father’s behalf, she was nowhere to be found. She’d hidden herself away in the lady’s restroom, crying softly in one of the stalls.

When the police had initially questioned her about her father’s assassination, she’d told them how she’d found Sugimura standing over her father’s dead body with a knife in his hand. Upon telling them about his suit, that he could change his appearance at a moment’s notice, they gave her a skeptical look and dismissed it as hysteria. There was no video feed to back up her claims either, all of the cameras in her home had been disabled an hour before the murder took place.

After she was asked more about Sugimura, she came to the realization that she barely knew the man. Where he lived, what he did for a living, hell they were engaged and yet Haru didn’t even know his first name! Using what information Haru was able to give them, the police did a background check on the man. As it turned out, no documents about Sugimura existed before this year, shortly before she met him. Everything that she’d known about the man was a falsehood created to get close to their family!

She considered all of the events of the past two weeks while she stood in Maruki’s lab before classes began, absent-mindedly watering the plants in Iggy’s terrarium. She was an orphan now, living in her father’s home by herself. She had just recently turned 18 so she was able to live on her own now, not that she had any relatives willing to take her in.

“..ru...Haru?”

But she was fine with that, she’d practically been living by herself for years now with how little her father was around. The thing that occupied her thoughts more than anything was what she’d found earlier that morning. Posted on the outside of her front door, was a photo of Haru at the funeral, taken from mere inches away. Clearly Sugimura, or whatever his real name was, had taken it as a way to frighten her.

“Haru?”

Suddenly Haru felt a hand on her shoulder, reacting quickly she took her spray bottle and sprayed her assailant in the face.

“Ah!” Ren stepped back, rubbing his eyes.

“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!” Haru apologized as she realized what she’d just done.

“It’s fine, just water. You just...surprised me is all.”

“I should be telling you that!” Haru grasped at her chest to calm her heart.

“Sorry about that, but you didn’t seem to hear me before so I thought I’d get your attention.”

The girl merely stared at him, waiting for what he had to say.

“How...How are you doing? I heard about what happened to your dad. I wanted to offer my condolences and check in with you.” When he reached a hand out to place on her shoulder, he was surprised when Haru backed away in fear, tripping over her own feet and nearly knocking over the terrarium.

“Whoa! Are you okay?” Ren reached out to help her, but she once again avoided his touch.

“I-I’m fine! I just...don’t feel well today. You shouldn’t touch me.”

Ren clearly didn’t buy that excuse, but he did refrain from trying to touch her anymore. “Haru, what’s going on? Something’s clearly bothering you. I’d like to help if you’d let me.”

“It’s...it’s nothing. You don’t need to worry about me.” Haru said, her breathing becoming heavy as she spoke. “I um...I need some fresh air. If Dr. Maruki comes, could you tell him...I-I don’t know, something. I just really need to go.” By the time Haru finished her sentence, she was already out the door.

She ran through the hallways, her breathing became even more erratic, her heart beating faster than before, and a nauseous feeling overwhelming her senses. She climbed the stairs of the third floor and ran out onto the school’s roof. Normally, students weren’t allowed up here, but Haru didn’t care, she just needed space, she needed to be by herself, where she was safe.

“Haru!” The voice of Ren called as he too stepped onto the roof.

No. 

No no no no! He couldn’t be here right now! She needed to be alone!

Haru backed away from the roof entrance, her eyes never leaving Ren. “W-What are you doing up here!? Y-You shouldn’t be here!”

“I could say the same about you.” Ren replied, concern audible in his voice.

“Why did you come up here? Why did you follow me?” She asked, afraid and suspicious of Ren.

“Because the last time a friend of mine came up here, she tried to end her own life. I just don’t want that to happen again. Haru, please back away from the edge.”

What? She didn’t come up here for that! She wasn’t even anywhere near the-

She turned her head and saw that she was indeed, mere steps from the roof’s edge. The school had meant to put a fence in after the incident with Shiho, but that project had been put on indefinite hold after the gym coach murdered the principal and attacked the school.

Haru turned her eyes back to Ren. One of her only friends at this school, he actually knew her pretty well after only meeting earlier this year...Just like Sugimura. Actually, how much did she really know Ren Amamiya? He rarely ever talked about himself, always more interested in her. And what were the odds that they just happened to be paired up together as lab assistants to Maruki?

“...You’re him aren’t you?” Haru said, her voice less shaky now, more aggressive.

“What?” Ren was confused by the question, or maybe just pretended to be. “Haru, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“You’re just another character. A persona. Well I see through your mask Sugimura!” She took another step backwards, her foot hitting the edge of the roof.

“Haru be careful!” Ren began to run forward.

“STOP!” Haru yelled at him, holding out her hand. “Don’t take another step forward!” She stepped up onto the ledge. Beneath her was a three story drop onto the school’s lawn. “If you do...I’ll jump!”

“Are you crazy!? Get down from there! It’s dangerous!” Ren was panicking now, but he had stopped moving forward.

“Oh you don’t like that do you? Then your sick little game is over, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Please just come down and talk to me!”

“It wouldn’t matter anyway. If you are him, then you’re just trying to trick me. If you aren’t, then you’ll just think I’m crazy.”

“Haru, I don’t think you’re crazy! I think you’re confusing me with someone else. Please, whatever it is, I’ll believe you! I promise!”

For a moment, Haru thought about it. The way he spoke, the fear and concern in his voice, maybe he was telling the tru-

Before she could think further, the bricks beneath her cracked, a large chunk of it breaking off. The missing section caused her to lose her balance and she began to fall backwards.

“HARU!” She heard Ren shout.

Things began to slow down for her as she began to fall. She became much more aware of her surroundings, and of herself. She felt her stomach drop, like the feeling one would get on a rollercoaster, only more sickening and full of fear. She could hear car horns honking on the streets below, people unaware of what was going on and just trying to go about their day. That was a nice thought.

Before she could fall from the roof, she suddenly felt something stick to the front of her sweater. This was immediately followed by a pulling sensation in the opposite direction. Before she knew it, she was rushing forward across the rooftop and straight into Ren’s arms.

The boy clasped her tightly in his arms, but there wasn’t a hint of malice in his touch. Only warmth, as his panicked breathing began to slow. The pair stood there for what felt like an hour, feeling the beats of each other's' hearts begin to slow as the adrenaline faded from the both of them.

Finally, when their pulses became semi-normal again, Ren released her and Haru slowly took a step back. She examined the string attached to the front of her sweater, and followed it up to Ren’s wrist.

She paused for a moment, then for another.

When her thoughts finally caught up to her, tears began to fill her eyes once more. Only these tears weren’t sad, for the first time she could remember, Haru cried happy tears. She placed her head against her savior’s chest and let out all of the emotions she’d been holding in up until this point. She didn’t even realize she was holding back so much until she let it all go, finally feeling safe in someone’s arms once again.

After another minute of crying, Haru looked up into Ren’s kind grey eyes. The eyes of a hero.

The eyes of Spider-Man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very heavy emotions in this chapter. Haru knows the secret! Finally! But there's still more danger to come, lots more. Especially with two hired assassins after Ren's head. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Mishima, I'll address what's going on with him shortly. I'm curious as to what you guys felt this chapter. I try to give this series a lot of humor but a lot of drama too, let me know how you guys think I'm doing and if there's anything I need to work on. I keep seeing requests for more Sumire moments and I've gotta say I'm surprised, is she like the favorite girl? I've always preferred Makoto, Haru, and Tae as my favorites, but I like all of the P5 girls. And I've gotta say, it's a crime that we don't get to romance Sae in game, rest assured that she'll appear soon enough as well. I think that when you guys see what role I've given her, you'll slap your head and be like "Of course that's who she is!" Anyways, until next time!


	71. Chapter 71

[97]

As Ryuji and Ann walked to school that morning, unaware of the events which had transpired a short time ago on the roof, they were surprised to find a familiar face waiting by the school’s gate. While he wore a large bandage over his nose, and had several visible bruises still healing on his face, the figure was unmistakably Yuuki Mishima.

“H-Hey guys.” The boy greeted awkwardly, unsure of how they would react to seeing him here.

“Mishima…” Ann said, subconsciously feeling the scar on her forehead.

Before she could get in closer, Ryuji stood in front of her defensively. “Whaddya want Mishima? Come back for revenge?”

“No! No nothing like that!” Mishima waved his hands nervously. “I just wanted to talk to you guys before…” He looked away, rubbing his arm.

“Before what?”

“I *sigh* I’m going to turn myself into the police.”

Ann and Ryuji were shocked by this. A villain willingly turning himself in? Even if he was their friend once, Mishima had killed people! Sure the deaths hadn’t been intentional, but he was still the direct cause.

“I saw the reports...The damage I did...The deaths.” Mishima’s voice cracked as tears rolled down his cheeks. “I-I never meant for any of this to happen! You’ve gotta believe me! I only *sniff* I only wanted to help my hero!”

The blonds watched as their former friend lost all of his composure, leaning against a pillar for support. Though she hadn’t forgiven him, Mishima needed someone right now, so Ann pushed past Ryuji, walked up to the boy and wrapped him in a hug.

“I’m so sorry!” Mishima cried into Ann’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry I hurt you and so many others!”

“Shhh it’s okay.” She spoke softly and patted him on the back. “You’re doing the right thing now Mishima. Making amends for what you’ve done.”

“Th-Thanks Ann.” Mishima wiped his face as he stood back up. “I just wanted to tell you both that I’m sorry, since I might not see you guys again for a long time.”

“Hey man, it’s alright.” Ryuji reassured him. “We’ll be there for you when you get out.”

“Thanks. Maybe juvie won’t be so bad, Ren went there after all and look at him! He’s dating one of the prettiest girls in school.”

“Yeah.” Ann said before pausing for a moment. “Wait, who’s Ren dating!?” That question might have come out louder than she had wanted.

“Oh, are you two not together? I heard a rumor that you were.”

“O-Of course we aren’t! We’re just friends!” Ann’s face was red now.

“My bad. There was also a rumor that he was with the student council president, and another about him and that girl with the fluffy hair, but who knows, right? Anyways, I’ll see you guys...in the future. I’m gonna go now.” He began to walk in the opposite direction of the school. “Oh and if you see Ren, can you thank him for me? He was the first person to really talk to me in school, I’m really grateful for that.”

“Sure thing man!” Ryuji called back. “We’ll meet again! Count on it!”

As the blue-haired boy disappeared into the crowd, the two teens turned to each other.

“I’m glad for him, he’s doing the right thing.” Ryuji said.

“Me too.” Ann replied, taking one more look into the street before walking into the school.

“So, concerned with who Ren’s dating hmm?” Ryuji said with a sly smirk.

“Shut up.” Ann said, cheeks pink as she slapped the back of Ryuji’s head.

Meanwhile, Ren and Haru were still on the school’s rooftop, sitting down now as Ren explained to Haru the events that led up to him discovering his powers. As he spoke, his ears picked up a dripping noise and he looked down to check it out.

“Haru you’re bleeding!” He said as he noticed the large nasty gash on her shin, no doubt caused by her fall from the roof.

“Oh! I didn’t even notice! I must’ve cut my leg on the ledge and not realized it.” She said, reaching for the wound.

“C’mon, let’s get you to the nurse’s office. Can you walk?” He asked, offering her his hand.

“It’s fine I should-agh!” She winced in pain as she placed weight on the leg.

Ren came in to help, allowing the girl to lean on him while she hopped to the door. As she moved, Ren noticed that a considerable amount of blood was pouring from the wound, and if they didn’t act soon, it might get infected. When they finally reached the entrance, they were faced with another problem, stairs.

“Umm okay...Haru I’m going to try something, so please don’t get mad at me.” Ren warned the girl.

“What are you-whoa!” She was suddenly lifted off of the ground and placed in Ren’s arms, being carried bridal style.

“Is this okay? Sorry if that freaked you out.”

“No it’s fine it’s just...I’ve never been carried like this before.” She said while blushing. “I kind of feel like a princess. I’m not too heavy, am I?”

“Not at all.” Ren said as he began to carefully descend the steps. “Feels like I’m carrying a feather pillow, or a baby lamb.”

Haru giggled at that, the situation’s inherent awkwardness being somewhat lightened by his humor. Hopefully school hadn’t begun yet, the last thing she wanted was to hear the whispers of her classmates as they watched the school delinquent carry her. Not that she thought of Ren as a delinquent at all, he was a perfect gentleman, student, friend, everything really. Maybe it was that perfectness that caused her to suspect him to be The Chameleon in disguise in the first place. Boy was she glad that she was wrong on that account.

As she thought more about the kind of person Ren was, she gazed up at his face. He was quite handsome really, not to mention the muscles that she could feel as she was pressed against his chest. And if all of that wasn’t enough, it turned out that in his spare time, he was a freaking superhero! This boy really was the whole package.

“Oh no.” Haru said quietly as she came to a realization.

“What’s up?” Ren asked as he looked down at her.

“N-Nothing! I’m fine! I um...I just remembered that I had homework due today!” She lied while trying to hide her embarrassed face.

“Oh, well then it’s a good thing we’re already here.” He said as they arrived at the door to the nurse’s office. “Hopefully you won’t be in here for too long.” As they stepped into the room, neither of the two noticed a first year girl who’d seen them from the other end of the hall.

“Anyone here? We’ve got an injured student.” Ren called into the seemingly empty office, suddenly the sound of clicking heels from the back room made their way to the front.

“Alright alright, hold your horses.” A woman’s voice called as she stepped into the room. “I’ve got a mountain of paperwork to sort through right now so I’m a little-” The woman paused as she and Ren made eye contact.

“T-Takemi!?”

“Hey there Guinea Pig.”

[98]

Minato was a free man now, though it wasn’t by the means he wanted. He had to accept Kingpin’s deal though, it was the kind of offer one ‘can’t refuse.’ The job was simple, and it paid well, enough to set him up for the rest of his life. And while Minazuki wasn’t his ideal partner, it would hopefully make the job easier. 

The job he was given was simple, kill the new Spider-Man. It wasn’t something that he would particularly enjoy, after all, this wasn’t even the same Spider-Man that put him in prison. But now that he was on the outside and that alone afforded him an opportunity to right some wrongs in his life. As he walked down the streets of Tokyo, a briefcase with his equipment in his hand and a suit and tie to replace his orange jumpsuit, he recalled a conversation between him and his new ‘partner’ when they exited the limousine.

“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me!? 10 million yen for Spider-Man’s head? I would’ve done it for free! Dumbasses!” Minazuki laughed as he sorted through his reclaimed belongings.

The two of them were in an underground safehouse used by Kingpin and his goons, until the job was done, it would serve as their living quarters. The place was fully stocked with a miniature bar, along with a television and recliners. It was made clear to them however, that this was no vacation, if they didn’t complete their job within 10 days, they would wish they had stayed in prison.

The luxurious accommodations weren’t the only thing that came with the room, it was also packed with weapons, ammunition, and most importantly their ‘super villain’ gear. God how much Minato loathed that term.

“Hahaha hell yeah!” Minazuki said as he finished putting on his gear, giant stinger scraping large chunks out of the walls.

The large green mechanical suit with a sharp tail on the end seemed like overkill to Minato, but who was he to talk? He had a colorful suit and code name of his own.

“Do you need to do that in here?” Minato asked, annoyed more than anything.

“You got a problem?” Minazuki pointed the stinger inches from Minato’s face.

Not intimidated in the least, he pushed the stinger aside and gave Sho Minazuki a look that said he was completely done with this situation. As he finished straightening his tie, Minato grabbed his briefcase and headed toward the door.

“Hey, you wanna make things interesting?” Sho called after him. “Maybe make some more cash?” Intrigued, Minato stopped in the doorway but didn’t turn around. “First one to squash the spider gets half of the other’s money. Deal?”

“...Sure.” Minato said, leaving the room and heading up into the city.

And that brought him to where he was now. He, of course, had complete confidence that he would win the bet. Scorpion had a powerful suit and knew how to use it sure, but the man was an idiot, relying on rage and bloodlust when he fought rather than skill and cunning. The real question was whether or not the man would accept the bet when he inevitably lost.

But all of that wasn’t important right now, what was important was where he was headed right now. He still received letters in prison, from one member of his extended family in particular, though they had stopped coming as of late. When he finally found out why in a letter from his brother, he was incredibly disappointed and ashamed. It was time to set the record straight, and that’s why he was coming out here to the back alleys, where that family member was apparently staying in Tokyo.

When he arrived at the address he had been given, he examined the place closely. For a back alley, this place didn’t seem half bad. A cozy little cafe on the corner with some shops nearby, he had honestly expected worse. He walked into the cafe and spotted a middle-aged man with a beard and glasses brewing some coffee for his three customers sitting in the booths.

“Welcome to Leblanc. Haven’t seen you around before. You new in town?” The man asked.

“Just visiting actually. I was wondering if you could help me. I’m looking for Ren Amamiya, do you know him by chance?” Minato asked curiously.

The man squinted at him, looking him over once more. “I may, I may not. Who’s he to you?”

“Well you see, he’s my nephew.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reveal! At long last! I'm sure you guys have put together the clues now and figured out who Minato is in this AU. What did you guys think about these chapters? Did you enjoy the little hints of romance in the first one? I want my writing to be good across the board which means I need to be able to capture certain emotions with it. Let me know how I'm doing, if there's anything you think needs work, and if there's anything you'd like to see in the future, I read all of the comments and they do have an effect on my writing so be sure to tell me what you think. The new arc begins soon so I hope you're all ready!


	72. Chapter 72

[99]

Ren was still reeling in shock at the fact that Tae Takemi, his personal doctor, was now the school nurse at Shujin Academy. Apparently, her former employer wasn’t satisfied with just costing Takemi her professional reputation, he was trying to force her out of the medical profession entirely. Now that she had lost her clinic in Yongen, a job at Shujin was the best she could do at the moment. Luckily the school was desperate for help after having its reputation completely tank this year.

Takemi didn’t seem in too low of spirits though, claiming she was glad to still get to see her ‘little guinea pig’ on a regular basis. Ren honestly couldn’t tell if the doctor was just messing with him or not, either way it made him feel...a certain way.

After dropping off Haru, and being assured that the girl would be fine, Ren headed to classes for the day. It passed pretty normally for him, he was brought up to speed with the situation with Mishima by Ann, he began studying for exams again since he finally had free time, and things were finally looking to return to normal for the time being (Ren knew it wouldn’t last long so he decided to enjoy it while he could.)

“Alright, I think we can conclude our study session for the day.” Makoto said, putting her pencils and erasers into her (adorable) panda themed pencil bag. “I have to say, I’m really impressed with how you’ve been keeping up with your studies Ren. Some students can’t even handle the normal course load by itself, but you’re managing it on top of a job, lab assistant position, and your ‘extracurricular’ activities.”

“What can I say?” Ren smirked. “Maybe only getting 2 hours of sleep a night is one of my superpowers.” He was only half joking about this, the bags under his eyes giving away just how serious the problem was.

“Yeah…” Makoto replied. “Oh, before I forget, we won’t be having any study sessions towards the end of the month. Student council members have to deal with organizing the Halloween dance at the end of the month. We’re having it instead of a school festival this year since the board determined it to be cheaper this way. And with how this year has been panning out, they need to cut corners wherever they can.”

“Geez, if they really wanted to save money couldn’t they just end the semester and just give us our diplomas now?” Ren said while yawning, sleep threatening to take him soon.

Makoto laughed at that. “I wish. Wouldn’t that be great?”

“...”

“...”

“...Hey Ren?”

“Hmm?”

“I was thinking umm...Would you want to...No forget it, it’s dumb.” She said, heat rising in her cheeks.

This however, went unnoticed by Ren, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. “What’s up?”

“Well I was just wondering...maybe we could...umm...” She struggled with how to phrase the question, afraid it would come out wrong. She didn’t get to ask the question though, the bell went off, interrupting her before she could finish. “OhwellIshouldgotalktoyoulaterbye!” She quickly grabbed her things and left the room.

“Huh.” Ren said as he watched the door slam behind her. He then picked up his own items and headed off to his next class at a much slower pace.

As he walked through the school’s halls to Maruki’s class, he spotted a familiar head of long bright red hair.

“Sumire!” Ren called out to the girl. She must not have heard him because she continued to walk in the opposite direction. He pushed through the crowd hallway to catch up to her, calling her name repeatedly as he did so. He hadn’t seen her in weeks and felt that he at least owed her a hello. 

“Sumire *whew* Finally caught up to you.” He said, finally placing his hand on her shoulder. The girl turned around, revealing her face. It was Sumire alright, but something was off. For whatever reason, she seemed to refuse to meet his gaze, more interested in her shoes instead.

“O-Oh. H-Hey Senpai.” She managed to get out, her voice shaky.

“Hey are you alright? What’s going on?” He was concerned now.

“I-It’s nothing. Um, I really need to get to class.” She nudged his hand away and began to walk off.

“Alright...Do you want to meet up for gymnastics practice this week?”

“I...I really can’t. I don’t feel well. I’ve gotta get to class now.” She walked off, never once looking him in the eyes.

‘What was that about?’ Ren wondered to himself as he watched her run off. Clearly something was wrong, and he had a feeling that it wasn’t because she was sick.

“You are such an ass.” A female voice came from Ren’s side. He turned his head and saw the voice’s owner, Sumire’s twin sister, Kasumi, who was leaning against the wall. The two were identical save for Kasumi’s darker hair and a mole on her cheek. As for personality, they couldn’t be more different.

“Wha-Did I do something?” Ren asked, befuddled at the insult. Sure he was still seen as the school delinquent, but he never actually did anything that would warrant such a comment, as far as he knew at least.

“Tch. So not only are you an ass, but a moron as well. Either that or you’re playing dumb, which would be even worse.”

“I am completely lost.” Ren said, a confused look on his face.

Suddenly, Kasumi stood up and walked over to Ren. Without a word of warning, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face. The slap echoed through the, now empty, hallway. The slap didn’t particularly hurt Ren, but it definitely caught him by surprise.

“I always knew you were trouble, but it looks like your lies finally caught up with you. I don’t get what Sumi saw in you, but I’m glad she finally sees the truth now.” With that, Kasumi turned sharply on her heel, smacking Ren in the face with her ponytail, and walked off.

“What the fuck just happened?” Ren asked himself aloud.

When he finally arrived in Maruki’s class, he preemptively apologized for his tardiness. Much to his surprise (for the hundredth time today) he saw that Dr. Maruki wasn’t present, instead, a substitute teacher sat behind his desk.

“Where’s Dr. Maruki?” He asked the sub, who was more preoccupied with his phone and had given the students a packet in lieu of teaching.

“I dunno, sick at home?” The sub replied, annoyed by the question. “Said something about barf during the phone call. Now just siddown shuddup and get your work done.” He said all of this without even looking up from the phone.

Sighing in defeat at his luck today, Ren did as he was instructed and took his seat. The rest of the school day passed quickly, thankfully with no more notable events. Now, all Ren wanted to do was go home and collapse in bed and sleep until tomorrow morning.

That plan, however, wouldn’t come to pass. Fate had other plans in store for Ren Amamiya, when he stepped into Leblanc and found a familiar man with long blue hair sitting at the counter.

“Uncle Minato!?”

“Hey there kiddo, long time no see.”

[100]

9 Years Ago:

A small boy with wavy black hair sat on the steps outside of his home. His freckled cheeks, stained with tears, had noticeable bruises on them and they, along with his bruised knuckles, were a dead giveaway as to what troubled him.

“Hey there kiddo, what’s got you down?” Minato asked, already guessing the answer.

“Uncle Minato!” The boy wiped his tears and ran up to Minato, wrapping his arms around his leg.

To the young Ren Amamiya, there was no one in the world cooler than his uncle. On the rare occasions that he was able to visit, he always took Ren out for fast food (which his mother never let him have) and let him ride in his car. (Minato didn’t respect the speed limit whatsoever.)

“So what’s wrong? Parents fighting again?” Minato asked.

Ren nodded his head. “I got in a fight today. Dad asked if I won and Mom’s mad that I hit another kid. Now they’re arguing and I came out here because they were loud.”

Minato chuckled. “Of course he would ask that. Your dad and I had a rough childhood, we got into a lot of scrapes as kids. I guess the important thing is, why were you fighting in the first place?”

“...”

“Was it over a girl?”

Ren nodded slowly. “Some kids pushed her off the swings so I hit them.”

“Attaboy!” Minato patted him on the back. “So did you win?”

“...No. There were 3 of them and one was in 4th grade.” Ren said, hanging his head low.

“That’s okay. As long as you were fighting for the right reason, that’s what matters.”

“Mom says I shouldn’t get into fights. No matter what.” 

“Eh.” Minato shrugged. “You shouldn’t seek them out, but sometimes in life, you need to stand up for what’s right. And sometimes that means you have to fight, even if it hurts or it scares you. Understand?”

“I guess?” Ren said, not fully comprehending the message.

“That’s okay. Some day you will.” Minato smiled at his nephew. “Now why don’t we head inside? I’m sure your mom’s gonna be thrilled to see me.” With that said, the uncle and nephew walked into the house together.

Present Day:

“What are you doing here?” Ren asked. “I-I thought you were in prison!” Without waiting for a reply, he ran in to hug the older man. While he knew his uncle had gotten involved in some sketchy business, he wasn’t aware of the extent of his crimes.

“I made parole. Good behavior, community service, all that good stuff.” Minato smiled, releasing his nephew. “And I’ve already got a job lined up.”

“That’s great!” Ren smiled back as the two sat down at the counter. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Now speaking of running afoul of the law, I hear that you have some experience in that department as well.”

Ren sighed. “Who told you?”

“Your dad.” Minato replied before taking a sip of his coffee. “Said you were arrested for assault. But I wanted to hear your side of the story.”

“First time I’ve heard that since coming here.” Ren chuckled. “What can I say? Just following your advice I guess, standing up for what’s right.”

“Good to know, but I think you’re mature enough now to realize that I’m not the greatest role model.”

“Still good advice. I mean...I don’t regret what I did. It led me here.” He gestured to the cafe. “Now I’ve got great friends, a good job, and things finally...they finally feel right, y’know?”

“Damn, I wish my prison experience was like that. I did make a good friend there though.” Minato reminisced. “So, any special women in your life at the moment?”

Ren thought about today’s events. “Too many.”

The pair spoke for hours, luckily Sojiro let them stay long after business hours were over.

“Oh my god! Is that the time?” Minato said, looking down at his watch. “I’ve gotta go. It’s been great talking with you Ren. I’ll stop by again, for the coffee, if nothing else.”

“Oh I’m sorry. Is seeing your favorite nephew not reason enough?” Ren asked sarcastically.

“Eh. You’re only my favorite by default.” The uncle joked as he walked out the door, briefcase in hand.

As the cafe door closed behind him and he walked down the street, Minato looked at his phone. The one he’d been given by Kingpin only had 2 contacts in it, the fat man himself and Minazuki. If they were going to work together, it was important that they keep in contact. He pressed Minazuki’s contact and held it up to his ear.

“What is it?” Sho’s voice answered.

“Anything yet?” Minato asked, loosening his tie as he stepped into a nearby alleyway.

“Jack. Shit. Spider-Man’s a no-show. Where the hell have you been?”

“Busy.” He replied simply, opening the briefcase. “But I’m here now. And I fully intend to win our bet.”

“Please don’t say some dumb shit like you’re ‘on the prowl.’”

“No. I’m a professional, I don’t make puns on the job. Just keep my 5 million ready.” Minato said as he pulled on his mask.

“Tonight, I’m going to kill Spider-Man.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally reached 100 chapters! (By my metric, according to ao3 this is 72) What do you guys think? I've been looking forward to making this arc for a long time so I hope that it turns out okay. As you can probably tell by now, I like to put my own spin on the story and break away from the original. I've gotten some great support from you all and I want you all to know that I fully intend to finish this story. I've seen way to many stories take way too long that the writers lose interest and abandon it without making much progress. As an avid reader of a lot of these stories, this makes me incredibly frustrated so I won't do that to you all. I hope to keep hearing from you guys as I write because that encourages me more than anything. See you next time!


	73. Chapter 73

[101]

Ren had been asleep for maybe 45 minutes before being woken up by a text and he was incredibly tempted to wait until morning to check it out. But with great power, yada yada all that noise, he decided to read it, afterall it could just be Futaba sending him memes late at night again.

As he reached for his phone, which was just out of his reach, he ended up tumbling out of bed. Sighing at his luck, he grabbed his phone and pulled it off of its charger.

“Large apartment fire in Ebisu. Civilians trapped on the higher levels in need of evac. Get there. Fast.” Naoto had texted him.

Ren sighed even louder this time and rested his back against the side of his bed. ‘Can’t the fire department just handle this?’ He wondered to himself. But staying home wouldn’t be the heroic thing to do. So he picked himself up off of the floor, his knees popping as he did so.

“Sleep is overrated anyway.” He said, cracking his back as he stretched.

2 minutes later, Ren was running across the Yongen rooftops on his way to Ebisu. While he began to swing with one hand, he held his phone in the other. He had decided that a phone call to the detective was in order, to get more details about the situation of course, definitely not because they hadn’t spoken since he moved out and he wanted to see where they stood.

“What is it?” Naoto’s grumpy voice answered the phone.

That wasn’t a good sign, Ren silently noted. He really hoped that she didn’t hate him now. When he’d told her about Sojiro’s offer to come back to Leblanc, the detective had shown little interest, neither sad to see him go or happy to be rid of him. Seriously, how bad had he fucked up that night?

“Hey Naoto! Um, just wanted to let you know that I’m on my way to the fire now...How’s the situation progressing?”

“I’m not there in person Ren. I’m in my office going through paperwork.” She replied, annoyed and sounding as tired as he felt.

“Oh...right.” He was at a loss as to what to say next.

“Is that all? I’m very busy at the moment.”

“...”

“...”

“What happened to us Naoto?” Ren blurted out, his lack of sleep removing his filter.

“What?” The detective sounded genuinely confused.

“I mean...What did I do? Did I really mess up so badly that you won’t even talk to me now unless it’s business?”

“Wha-Is now really the time to be asking this!?”

“I can swing while I talk.” He replied, not letting up. “Look, I get it. I’m not Yu Narukami and no matter how much I emulate him, I never will be. But...I don’t know...I thought we had our own kind of relationship.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t-I didn’t feel that way about him!” Naoto protested.

“You talk in your sleep Naoto. You thought I was him and you told me you loved me.” He tried to mask the hurt in his voice. “And ever since that night, we haven’t addressed it and I’m sick of it.”

“Ren…”

“Just tell me now Naoto. On no uncertain terms, is there anything more between us than a partnership?”

“...”

“Naoto?”

“I have work to get done. And you need to get to Ebisu. We’ll talk about this another time.” With that, she hung up.

“Dammit Naoto!” Ren sighed as he placed his phone in the suit’s pocket.

Back in Naoto’s office, the detective placed her phone facing down on her desk, then promptly slammed her head onto her mountain of paperwork. “Dammit Ren.”

The fire had become very large in the time it took Ren to get there and he was able to see it from miles away. Luckily it hadn’t spread to any of the other buildings yet. First responders were at the scene, a large crowd of the apartment complex’s residents were gathered on the streets. However, just as Naoto had said, a group of people were gathered on the rooftop, awaiting rescue.

“Hey everyone.” He said, landing on the roof. “Nice night, isn’t it?”

“Spider-Man!” The children among the residents cheered.

“Enough quips!” A large man in a white tank top yelled. “Hurry up and save us already!”

“RIght, one rescue coming up.” Ren looked around for what might help him in this situation. When he spotted a building across the street, an idea popped into his mind. The distance between the buildings was roughly 30 feet, so jumping was out of the question, but he had another idea. He fired two weblines across the street before connecting them to the side of the roof. 

“And just what the hell are we supposed to do with that? Tightrope walk?”

“Hold on.” Ren said as he changed the dial on his webshooters.

Apparently in her time away from technology, Futaba had enough free time to draw up some specs for new webshooter mods among other helpful gadgets. While many were still in the prototype phase, not ready for field testing at the moment, there was one mod she’d already integrated into his suit.

Turning the dial to ‘spray’ he heard a soft click from each device as their nozzles shifted. According to Futaba, this design was pretty simple but still effective. Have you ever held your thumb over the end of a hose? It basically worked like that. He aimed his hand between the two weblines and fired. A wide net of web fluid cascaded out, catching onto the weblines and forming a bridge between the buildings.

“Is...Is that safe?” A woman in her bathrobe asked, obviously concerned.

“Absolutely.” Ren reassured her. “I once caught a helicopter with these things. It can support the weight.” Even so, he intended to stick nearby, to ensure that nobody accidentally fell.

As the residents began to cross, an explosion from one of the rooms below caused the building to shake and the fire to reach the rooftop. Luckily, no one on the makeshift bridge fell, but they were certainly frightened.

“Okay, might need to hurry it up a little. Crawl on all fours if you need to, but we need to get the rest of you across!” Ren told the residents. Some of whom had already reached the other side. 

As the last person got up onto the bridge, the large man from earlier, Ren suddenly felt his spider sense go off. Instinctually, he backflipped from where he’d been standing, with no time to spare at that. A large green tail with a menacing spike on its tip shot out of the ground, piercing the air where he was a moment ago.

“Dammit!” The tail’s owner shouted as he pulled himself through the hole he’d just created. “Looks like this bug’s got the same annoying sixth sense as the last one.”

Ren had, of course, heard of Scorpion before. The man had butted heads with the original Spider-Man almost as much as Green Goblin did. But to see him here? Now? Hadn’t Yu sent this guy to prison like 6 months ago?

Before he could think, he felt his spider sense go off once more. He jumped backwards as a small green device flew in front of him. Suddenly, the device exploded and a bright light blinded him. While still blind, he detected another threat fast approaching, but this time he was helpless as he felt a strong hand wrap around his throat and slam him against the ground.

“That’s a tight grip you’ve got there. *cough* Can I guess that I’m not your first?” Ren joked as he struggled to breathe, his eyesight still blurry.

“Joking even when you’re backed into a corner. You’re just like the original.” The figure holding his throat stated as he raised his other clawed hand. From what Ren was able to see now, the figure was dressed in a purple and green suit with a grey cloak on his back. A purple mask with white eyes surrounded by black highlights stared down at him. “Sorry about this, but I’ve got a job to do.” The man said before bringing his claw down.

As a last resort, Ren’s body seemed to react on its own. A venom blast, larger than any he’d used before, was sent out of his entire body. As the blue electricity arced through the air, it sent the villain flying off of him and blasted Ren back as well. Hitting his back against the door leading downstairs, he looked up to see the other villain already getting back onto his feet.

“Huh. Last guy couldn’t do that.” The purple villain stated.

“Yeah well, the new model comes with some improvements.” Ren replied as he pushed himself off the ground. He was feeling even more drained than when he woke up, but he couldn’t let them know that.

“Prowler, you bastard! I really thought you had him for a second!” Scorpion called as he walked over to his partners side. “I nearly lost 5 million!”

So the purple guy is called ‘Prowler.’ Ren noted silently. He’d have to ask Naoto about this guy later.

“So you guys are working in pairs now? Is the bad guy economy going under? Not enough jobs to go around so you’ve got to share?”

“With the bounty that’s on your head, I don’t mind sharing.” Scorpion replied. “10 million yen just for killing you.”

Ren whistled. “That’s quite the deal. Counter offer: 20 yen and a webswing tour around the city and you let me live.”

“Sorry kid, gonna have to pass on that one.”

“You idiot.” Prowler interrupted, clutching his side. “Can’t you see that he’s just distracting you? That attack must’ve drained him so he’s playing for time to recharge.”

‘Dammit.’ Ren thought. ‘He saw right through me.’

“You little bastard!” Scorpion yelled, a smile on his face as he ran in to attack Ren. “I’m gonna skewer you!” His tail shot forward at Ren, as he dodged to the side, the metal door behind him crumpled like tissue paper as it was penetrated.

‘Definitely can’t let that thing touch me.’ He thought as he ran up to Scorpion With his tail preoccupied, he was wide open for a punch to the jaw, or at least Ren thought. As he swung his fist, he was shocked when Scorpion’s tail retracted with incredible speed, swiping Ren to the side with its base. Not only was that thing sharp, it was also fast and strong enough to be a threat without even using the stinger.

Ren was sent tumbling across the rooftop, as he caught himself mid-tumble and began to stand up again, he saw Scorpion coming after him once more. Thinking on his feet this time, he made to shoot a webline at Scorpion’s leg and trip him, only for the web to come out in a spray. He mentally slapped himself, he’d forgotten to change the dials back to classic.

Despite his initial plan failing, the web spray had a positive effect, Scorpion’s feet were now stuck to the ground and he was unable to move for the time being. Now cheering himself on mentally, he instinctively whipped his head back, narrowly avoiding a claw as it reached for his face. He wasn’t fast enough however, as one of the lenses in his mask was torn away, exposing his bare eye.

Ren tried to kick Prowler away, putting some distance between them, but that ended up backfiring. Being the superior hand-to-hand fighter, the villain dug his claws into Ren’s calf before using his own momentum to throw him aside.

The teenage hero, struggling to get up with his injured leg, was completely helpless as Prowler approached him. He struggled to see the villain out of his right eye due to the blood pouring onto it from his bisected eyebrow. As he was lifted off of the ground by his neck once more, the villain looked directly at his face, seeing the fearful expression in his eye.

“I’m sorry kid. Close your eyes if you need to. But it has to end this wa-AGH!” Prowler was interrupted as Ren fired the web spray directly onto his mask, blinding him. He felt bad about using a moment of mercy to his advantage, but he couldn’t let himself die here.

In the moment that the Prowler’s grip faltered, Ren managed to shock him with the last venom strike he could muster. It was much weaker than his normal blasts, but when applied to the villain’s wrist, it was enough to get himself free.

Finally believing himself to have the upper hand in this fight, that notion was quickly dismissed as he heard Scorpion call out to him.

“Oh Spider-Man!” He said in a beckoning voice. 

Ren turned his head and saw Scorpion positioned right in front of the web bridge he’d created to help the civilians escape. One person was left on the makeshift bridge, the large man in the tanktop, who clung to the bridge in fear.

“Oops.” Scorpion said as his tail cut the lines attaching them to the building. The bridge, and the man on it, began to drop.

“NO!” Ren yelled as he dove off the side of the building to catch it. He managed to do so, only barely, hanging from the wall of the apartment by his fingertips and holding onto one strand of webbing with his other. Now, if the man wanted to reach the other building, he would have to climb, otherwise he would experience a 30 story drop to the street below.

“Tsk tsk.” Scorpion mocked as he slowly climbed down the side of the building, his suit allowing him to bury his fingers deep enough to stick. “You may have the old Spider-Man’s powers, but it looks like you’ve got his weaknesses too. The civilians always come first to you hero types.” As he reached Ren’s level, he hung off of the building’s side, his tail getting into position to strike. Ren was completely helpless to stop him, both hands occupied and tired beyond belief.

“And that’s why, in the end, they always wind up dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this chapter felt like it took forever to write. Fight scenes are not my specialty so I'm just constantly wondering whether what I just wrote was any good and then end up revising half of it, but they are necessary for any good superhero story. I hope that the conversation between Naoto and Ren didn't seem too shoehorned in, but I wanted to establish where they stand at the moment because I haven't since the start of the Mysterio arc. Also to address a question I saw on my last post, the reason behind Sumire avoiding Ren was because of what happened between him and Haru. A first year girl saw Ren carrying her and spread rumors about them dating, Sumire who is obviously crushing on him didn't take the news very well and is avoiding him so as to not show him how she feels. What will happen next? How will Ren get out of this situation? Find out next time!


	74. Chapter 74

[102]

Ren was barely thinking when he released his grip on the side of the building, it was more just that his subconscious knew to escape however he could. So the tired and injured hero used the dangling web bridge to swing away, grabbing the remaining civilian and climbing to the next building’s roof with him in tow.

When he reached the rooftop and set the man down, he hurriedly joined the rest of the civilians in taking the stairs down to the bottom floor. Ren let out a sigh of relief at seeing everyone evacuate safely. He was about to collapse from a mixture of exhaustion and blood loss, and if it weren’t for the tingling feeling in the back of his head, he might’ve passed out entirely.

‘Wait.’ He thought. ‘Doesn’t that mean-’

Ren thought he heard a muffled gunshot and before he could complete his thought, he felt a bullet pierce his chest, emerging straight through his left pectoral. He stumbled forward, clutching the bullet wound as he tried to keep himself upright. He turned back towards the burning building, he saw the Prowler, holding a sniper rifle pointed right at him. As Prowler pulled back the bolt, readying another round, Ren knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge. Even if he could, he wasn’t even sure he’d survive his current wounds.

“Oh no you don’t Prowley.” Scorpion’s voice said as he reached the same roof as Ren. “This one’s mine.”

Ironically, the other villain may have just saved Ren’s life as he now stood directly in Prowler’s line of fire. It seemed that he couldn’t count on one taking the other out though, the sound of a sniper round bouncing off of Scorpion’s armor confirmed as much.

“Y’know, I’m pissed that I wasn’t the one to do the original Spider-Man in, he caused me innumerable headaches when he was around. But I think this will be therapeutic for me. Give me closure and all that, y’know?”

As the larger villain approached, his menacing tail raised to attack, Ren gulped in fear. As his hand brushed against his side, he felt something attached at his hip. It took a moment for him to recall what the object was, but then it struck him.

The device Futaba had made for him!

This one was still in early development, but Futaba had given it to him, just in case. As he removed the small, round object from his side, he recalled the young inventor telling him how it worked. Press the button on the side and when the light turns red, you only have 3 seconds to throw it.

‘Go!’ Ren thought. ‘Web Grenade!’

The metallic red ball flew through the air, straight at Scorpion who had a look of surprise on his face. The original Spider-Man never used any gadgets like this, so he hadn’t seen it coming. Both of them closed their eyes, preparing for the device to detonate. However, both were surprised when it harmlessly pinged off of Scorpion’s armor, falling to the floor with a small clang before its light went out.

“Aw dammit.” Ren said aloud.

Scorpion let out a laugh. “That was your secret weapon? And here I thought you couldn’t get any more pathetic!”

“Still need to work out some of the bugs.” Ren shrugged as best as he could.

“You won’t get the chance.” The villain smiled as he began to walk forward once more.

Unbeknownst to him however, the lights on the grenade next to his foot flashed to life once more a second before going off. Webs sprang out in every direction, covering Scorpion in a thick blanket of spider silk.

“What the fuck!?” He cried out as he tried to escape, his tail was pinned against his body however, and left him immobile.

Seeing his chance to escape, Ren backed away from the villain. He walked backwards, eyes not leaving his adversary, he was surprised when his feet heels hit the ledge and he tripped off of the edge of the building. As he felt himself fall off the building’s side, Ren felt a sense of calm fall over him. Maybe this was how Yu felt while he was dying.

He closed his eyes, finally getting his much needed rest as he fell. He was already asleep by the time he landed in the dumpster beneath him.

Miles away from the conflict and completely unaware of it, two girls stood opposing each other in Protein Lover’s Gym. Ann Takamaki and Makoto Niijima were having another of their many training sessions. While Ren and Makoto still met up to spar at the gym from time to time, his schedule made these sessions rare. Ann however, had time off from her modelling job and decided to use it to further train her body.

The blonde threw a punch at her opponent, initiating the fight. It was easily dodged however, and Makoto used the opportunity to grab her wrist. Ann wouldn’t let her though, and quickly responded with a kick towards Makoto’s side. This time, the brunette was unable to dodge and was forced to block with her arm.

Ann smiled at her improved skill, glad to have finally landed a blow against Makoto. Her smile faded though, as she noticed her leg had been caught and was being held in the air. Before she could get free, Ann watched as Makoto swept her other leg and forced her to the ground. Now pinned and unable to move, the younger girl was forced to tap out.

“That was better than last time Ann.” Makoto said as she stood up, helping Ann to her feet as well. “You’re really impro-”

“Again.” Ann said, her tone was dead serious.

“Oh...alright.” Makoto stepped back and resumed her fighting stance.

The two of them fought again. And again. And again. With Makoto coming out the victor each time, much to Ann’s frustration.

“Again.” Ann said as she pushed herself off of the floor.

“Why don’t we take a break? I think we could both use one at this point.” Makoto suggested.

Before Ann could refuse, the older girl had already stepped off of the mat and over to her water bottle. As she took a drink from her’s, she offered the blonde her own bottle, indicating that she needed to take a break and hydrate.

As Ann begrudgingly sat and drank her water, Makoto finally asked the question she’d had since they’d arrived at the gym.

“Is everything alright Ann? You seem kind of...aggressive tonight. If I’m pushing you too hard, you can just let me know and I’ll lighten up.”

“No it’s-it’s nothing like that…” Ann sighed as she looked off to the side. “I’m sorry, I’ve just had some things on my mind lately.”

“Things like what?” Makoto asked as she took another sip.

“...What do you think of Ren?”

The student council president choked on her drink, taken aback by the question. “Wha-I...I mean...What’s there to say?” She said innocently, not wishing to convey her true feelings about the boy. “He’s a great friend, he’s really nice, and he’s a freaking superhero. What more could you ask for in a friend?” Makoto laughed nervously, not meeting Ann’s gaze.

“That’s not what I meant.” Ann said seriously. “I mean, what do you think of him as a member of the opposite sex? Do you think he’s…” She trailed off, the true meaning of her question implied.

“Oh.” Makoto said, sweating heavily, and not from the prior workout. “Well I um...I’ve never thought about him like that.” She lied. “Ren’s just a friend.”

Ann seemed surprised by the answer, her eyes widening and her expression lightening greatly. “Huh. Okay...great!” She suddenly seemed a bit nervous herself. “So...you wouldn’t mind if I asked him to the Halloween dance?”

“Of course not.” Makoto lied through her teeth. What was she supposed to say in this situation!? What do you say when your best friend wants to ask out your other best friend, whom you yourself have feelings for!?

As Makoto screamed mentally, she missed Ann’s follow-up question. “S-Sorry, I missed that.” She said, embarrassed.

“Oh, well I just asked if you thought anyone else might have their eyes on Ren. I imagine what with being student president, you hear about him a lot. Has anyone said anything, like they think he’s hot or anything?”

“Oh! Um no, nothing like that. I think most students are too scared to approach him, which is pretty ironic given how nice of a guy he is.”

“Totally!” Ann smiled, seemingly back to her normal self. “Guess it just makes it easier for me! Other girls are too scared to make a move.”

“Yep. Definitely.” Makoto said, unconsciously grinding her teeth. “Hey, what do you say we get back to sparring? I think this has been a long enough break.”

“Alright.” She hopped back up to her feet and walked over to the mat. “Hey Makoto? Thanks for talking with me. I feel a lot better now.”

“Anytime.” Makoto responded, putting on a fake smile. “Now let’s get started.”

Makoto took Ann down 7 more times that night, possibly using a bit more force than was necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got this chapter out finally, sorry it was a bit difficult to resume writing while busy with the holidays. Hope you guys like this one and look forward to the next one. Let me know what you think in the comments! Until next time.


	75. Chapter 75

[103]

Haru Okumura shot up out of bed screaming, awoken from a nightmare. As she looked around at her surroundings, she was taken aback by the unfamiliar layout. Where was she? Whose bed was this? She began to imagine the worst before the bedroom door flung open.

“Haru! Are you okay? What happened?” A woman with short blue hair wearing a black tanktop and shorts asked. After a moment, Haru was able to recognize her. It was the school nurse, Dr. Takemi.

Memories from earlier that day flooded back into her mind. Back in the nurse’s office, after being introduced to the nurse by Ren and being informed that she was in on the secret too, the two of them began speaking after he left. Haru explained what had occurred earlier to land her in there, as well as confessing her lack of sleep and constant feeling of unease lately. She didn’t know why she told the doctor everything she did, maybe it just felt nice to speak to an adult who would believe her, or maybe it was because Takemi’s personality vaguely reminded Haru of her late mother.

After telling the older woman about her troubles, Takemi surprised her, asking if she needed somewhere to stay for the night. Haru hadn’t been able to sleep in her own bed since that night. Every time the floorboards creaked, or the wind blew against her window, she would flinch in fear, thinking Sugimura was somewhere in her house, watching her.

Haru accepted the offer, not being able to stand another night in that empty house. After school, she joined Takemi on her ride home, surprised to find that an M.D. would choose to live in a back alley apartment in Yongen. The apartment itself was quite small, a sparse few pictures decorated the walls, and a single potted plant sat in the corner of the living room. The entire apartment was roughly the size of Haru’s bedroom back home, but she welcomed the new environment, glad to not be spending the night alone.

When Takemi showed Haru where she would be sleeping, she was surprised when the doctor offered up her own bed, while she would sleep on the pullout couch. Initially refusing the generous offer, she was more or less forced to take the bed at Takemi’s insistence. After changing into some pajamas the doctor provided, she suddenly felt how tired she really was after days without sleep, she fell unconscious the moment her head hit the pillow.

“-ru? Haru?” Takemi asked, snapping the girl out of her thoughts. “You with me?”

“Oh! Dr. Takemi!” Haru said as she snapped back to the present. “Y-Yes, I’m alright. Just a nightmare is all.”

Takemi let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I heard you scream and assumed the worst.” She relaxed, taking a seat next to Haru on the bed. As she studied the girl’s expression, she noticed fear and unease in her eyes. “Would you like it if I stayed in here for a bit?”

Haru, hugging her legs to her chest, nodded softly.

Takemi laid out on the bed, silently glad that she didn’t have to go back to the pullout couch (whoever designed those clearly never had to sleep on one) but she chose not to share this for her guest’s conscience.

“Why don’t we talk for a while?” She suggested, thinking of a topic. “Oh, that shirt you’re wearing? I got that back in my high school days.”

Haru looked down at the t-shirt Takemi had given her, it was black with bold white letters in a strange font spelling out something in English.

“‘Revelations.’ That was the name of the metal band I was in. I know, shocker, right?” Takemi said cheekily. “We didn’t last very long, everyone else wanted to go professional, but I wanted to go to medical school, so we went our separate ways. Eventually, all of them broke off to pursue their own interests. What you’re wearing is the one and only t-shirt we could afford to make.”

“Oh my, I’m so sorry! Here, let me change out of it-” Haru stood up and began to remove the shirt.

“Whoa, slow down! It’s fine, I dug that out of my closet, I haven’t even worn it in ages. I actually forgot I had it until I saw it earlier.” Takemi smiled. “It’s funny how you remember more than you think. How seeing an object from your past can bring back memories you’d long forgotten. Know what I mean?”

Haru sat back down on the bed. “Yeah. I get that. Going through my father’s old things, I found a model spaceship he kept in his closet, still in it’s box. I found it when I was little and tried taking it out to play with it, *sniff* he got so scared that I would damage it. Apparently, it was a collectible from his favorite show as a kid and he wanted to keep it in mint condition.”

Tae looked over at the young girl, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.

“Y’know *sniff* I always remembered the scolding he gave me afterwards as a bad memory, but now? It makes me oddly happy. Is that weird?” Haru asked.

Takemi wrapped her arms around the girl. “Not at all.” The two of them sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the other’s company. Both had lost something important to them a short time ago, and whether she was willing to admit it or not, Tae needed this as well.

After another minute of silence, Takemi released Haru. “Hey, how about I make us something to eat? We can watch some TV for a bit. Maybe there’s a movie on. Would you be up for that?”

Haru responded with another silent nod and Tae led her into the living room. Placing the girl on the couch (still folded out) she turned on her TV and went into her apartment’s kitchen. It was tiny, basically just a refrigerator, microwave, and sink in the back of her living room, but it served its purpose.

“I mostly go out to eat, but I’ve got a few ingredients lying around. Now I’ve gotta warn you, my cooking skills are a little rusty, so don’t expect anything on the level Ren can make.”

“Oh, is Ren a good cook?” Haru asked, looking back into the kitchen.

“Are you kidding me?” Tae asked. “He’s incredible. That boy can make rice and an egg taste like a five-star meal.I’m shocked he’s never cooked for you before.”

“We...don’t actually know each other that well. We’re both just lab assistants to Dr. Maruki, I’m actually a year older than him, so we don’t share any classes together.”

“Oh. I thought you two might be together.” Tae said, a small part of her relieved. “Y’know, what with him princess carrying you into my office.”

“N-No, we’re not like that!” Haru waved her hands frantically, dismissing that notion. “I only found out his secret by accident. H-He saved me before I could fall off the roof.”

“Yeah, he told me about that.” Tae nodded, throwing some old takeout onto a pair of plates.

“What about the two of you?” Haru asked. “Y-You seem pretty close.”

“Well, I have seen him naked.”

Haru’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth in shock. Tae laughed at her reaction.

“Relax, I’m his doctor. Whenever villains carve him up, I’m the one who has to patch him back together. It helps that he heals pretty fast too.” She sighed as she looked away. “I do wish he wouldn’t put himself in so much danger though. It’s...difficult to see him like that.”

“Yeah. I can imagine.” Haru said, remembering the scene of her father’s murder. The two stood in silence before the microwave dinged.

“Food’s ready.” Takemi said as she grabbed both plates and brought them to the couch. “Now, let’s see what there is to watch.” She began to flip through channels, searching for something the two of them could watch.

“-irefighters are still on the scene, trying to put out the blaze. Spider-Man was spotted on the scene rescuing civilians, but disappeared during his fight against Scorpion and another masked assailant. He was last seen heavily injured and still fighting the villains who have also disappeared.”

Takemi dropped the noodles in her mouth at the news.

“Ren…” Haru said weakly. She turned to Tae, fear in her eyes, “He’ll be okay, right? This is normal for you guys...right?”

“...Yeah, he’ll be alright.” Tae assured the girl, masking her own uncertainty. She no longer had a clinic in which to treat him, and he looked pretty exhausted when she saw him earlier today. Fear crept up her spine as her thoughts raced. “He’ll be okay.” She said, more to herself than Haru.

“He has to be.”

[104]

Ren awoke to a loud popping noise and a sharp pain in his side. As he let out a cry of pain and tried to move, he felt his arms being pushed down to his sides. His other senses gradually returned to him and he slowly became aware of his surroundings. There was a light bulb just above him and he seemed to be strapped to a wooden table by leather belts.

“Hold him still! I can’t do this if he’s moving around like that!” A female voice yelled from somewhere.

“I’m trying! He’s really strong though!” A male voice yelled back.

“Where am I!? Who are you!?” Ren yelled as he continued to struggle.

“Calm down!” The female voice responded angrily. “We’re trying to help you! But we can’t if you won’t lie still!” As she said this, Ren heard another popping noise and felt the pain in his side once again.

“Agh! What are you doing!?” He yelled, trying to pull free, but he felt too weak, too exhausted to break free.

“I’m stapling your wounds shut. We don’t have time for stitches.” Another pop and more pain. “Sorry, but if I gave you any painkillers, you’d probably die. I need you to stay conscious for me, alright?"

Not waiting for a response, the woman continued to staple his side. From there, Ren’s recollection of events became blurry, going in and out of consciousness as the people around him continued to work on him. When he finally came to again, he felt cold, he looked around, realizing that he was no longer on the table, he was now sitting in a leather armchair. As he tried to turn his head, there was a crunching sound next to his ears.

“You shouldn’t move too much. You’re still recovering.” A voice said.

Turning his eyes to the source, Ren saw a middle-aged woman with black hair and brown eyes. She was dressed casually, sitting on a folding chair across from him.

“W-Where am I?” He asked, jaw shivering from the cold.

“You’re in my apartment. Don’t touch the bags of ice.” She said, as Ren began to reach for his head. “You have a cerebral edema, probably from your fall. You need the ice to keep your brain from swelling.”

“W-Who are y-you?”

“My name is Sayoko Uehara. I’m a nurse at a local hospital. And you sir, are Spider-Man.”

Suddenly, Ren realized something, he reached up to his face. “M-My mask!”

“Relax. So I saw your face, it’s not a big deal. I still have no clue who you are.” The nurse dismissed his concerns.

Ren turned his gaze downward and noticed his suit was gone, leaving him in his boxer briefs. When Sayoko saw him notice this, she immediately jumped on the defensive.

“Hey, you were dying and I needed to operate on you! I’m not some pervert!”

Ren rolled his eyes, though immediately regretted it as his head flashed in pain. “It’s fine, I’m more used to this than you’d think.” He realized what that could imply and rephrased. “Being operated on, I mean. I try not to make a habit of waking up near naked in strangers’ houses.”

“I can tell. Your body looks like a used training dummy med students practice on. I’m honestly shocked you’re still alive, much less leaping across rooftops. At this point I’d say you’re nearly 20% scar tissue.”

Ren ran his hand over the staples on his side, holding together a wound nearly 5 inches in length. On his chest, there was a large patch taped right over his heart.

“One of your super powers must be insane luck. You got shot through your chest and the bullet missed your heart by less than an inch. If I’d operated on you a minute later than I did, you would’ve died.”

“How did you find me anyway? I don’t remember anything after falling off the roof.”

Sayoko crossed her legs as she recalled the story. “I was standing outside of my apartment building watching the fire when some fat guy in a bathrobe came around asking if there were any doctors in the crowd. When I asked him what for, he led me to a dumpster in an alley. That’s when he showed me you.” She looked over to the kitchen table. “He carried you up here and put you on that table and held you down while I operated on you. I guess you owe him your life as much as me.”

Ren had a feeling he knew who that man was, but didn’t comment on it. “So when do you think I can go?”

“Well, normally when a patient comes in with life threatening injuries, we tend to keep them a few days for monitoring. But I think we can both agree that you’re no normal patient. I’d say to give it a few hours and if you don’t pass out anymore or y’know, die, you can leave.”

“Great...Um, do you have any clothes I can put on?”

Several hours later, as the sun rose over the city. Sojiro yawned as he began his usual walk from his house to the coffee shop. Every day this walk seemed longer and longer, maybe that was just the arthritis setting in.

Getting old sucked.

As he stood in front of the doorway, fiddling with his keys, he was surprised when it was already unlocked. “Ren? Are you in here?”

“Over here.” A hand weakly raised from one of the booths.

The cafe owner walked over to the booth and found his apprentice lying on his side. Ren’s choice of attire was...questionable, to say the least. Wearing a pair of sweatpants that read ‘JUICY’ on the butt and a pink shirt that said ‘Ask me about my feminist agenda.’ Sojiro didn’t exactly understand what any of that meant, but he chalked it up to kids these days.

“Rough night?” He asked.

“Yeah, real rough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! First chapter of 2021 is a double feature. I hope you guys liked it. A few notes: I gave Tae a bit more background then she has in game, I think it fits her pretty well. Her band is named 'Revelations' after 'Revelations: Persona' the first Persona game. Also you might recognize the nurse who helped Ren as being the Devil Social Link from Persona 4. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Until next time.


	76. Chapter 76

[105]

“Dammit!” Sho yelled, throwing his suit’s helmet against the wall of their hideout. “Slippery bastard got away! I didn’t take Spider-Man for a damn coward!” He kicked the side of their couch and flipped it over.

“Calm down.” Minato said in his usual monotone. “We don’t even know if he’s still alive. With all of the hits he took, he’s likely to bleed out without proper medical attention. What we need to do for now is lie low and put our ears to the ground. Listen to the chatter among the underground and see if anyone finds him or his body. That’s our best play at the moment.”

“I don’t give a damn about the ‘best play!’ I wanted to see the life leave his eyes as I skewered the bastard! I missed out on my chance the first time, I won’t miss out this time!” 

Minato rolled his eyes as he removed his suit. It had been a long night and he wanted some shuteye before making his next move. As he climbed into his bed, he heard Sho digging through their mini bar, shattering several bottles as he searched for his preferred drink. How Kingpin ever thought that the two of them would make a good team was beyond him.

It didn’t take long for Minato to realize that he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. Not because of Sho’s loud complaining, he could deal with that. The real reason for his insomnia was because of the room they occupied. After spending so much time in a concrete cell with only a tiny light source, to tell the time, he couldn’t stand the idea of staying in here. So, going against his own advice, he decided to leave their bunker.

“Where the hell are you going?” Sho asked, still wearing his Scorpion suit, a TV remote in his hand and a beer bottle wrapped in his mechanical tail.

“Out.” Minato replied, pulling on his coat.

“Out? Didn’t you just say to lie low?”

“Well, unlike you, I know something about subtlety.” Without another word, he walked out of the room.

He walked up to the surface, the morning sun shining on the buildings across from him. As he thought about what he might do with his time, Minato found himself unconsciously heading in the direction of Yongen Jaya. Back to see Ren.

“I could use a cup of coffee.” He said to himself.

Ren however, wasn’t at Leblanc that morning. After reassuring Sojiro that he was okay, he decided to get showered and dressed for the day, but not dressed for school. If last night had taught Ren anything (aside from the fact his sleep schedule needed some work) it was that he was woefully unprepared to take on foes that knew how to fight. Up until now, he’d been fighting against criminals and psychopaths who relied heavily on their powers and equipment, but power was no match for experience. That much had been made very clear.

His complete failure to combat Scorpion and Prowler frustrated Ren more than he let on. If he was going to fight them again, he needed to review everything Makoto had been teaching him up until now. It was because of that that Ren found himself in Protein Lovers throwing punches against a practice dummy (using minimal force naturally, he couldn’t afford to destroy their equipment) and trying to remember the moves his opponents had used against him.

“Your form’s off.” A voice came from behind Ren.

He turned to meet the face and was surprised to see a woman with silver hair. The woman wasn’t old by any means, probably in her early 20s, and her figure suggested that she visited the gym frequently. Her outfit consisted of a black sports bra and black yoga pants with a white stripe down each leg. Her oddly colored hair was tied up in a simple ponytail behind her and she wore bright red lipstick. Her most striking feature, aside from her hair, were her eyes which were a dark red, they reminded him of Makoto’s.

“-you hear me?”

“Hm?” Ren snapped out of his daze, realizing that he’d been staring at her a bit too long.

“I said your form is off.” She repeated. “When you strike, you’re swinging your arm too much. It wastes effort and affords your opponent an opportunity to dodge.”

“Oh.” Ren said, befuddled.

This woman didn’t look like the fighting type to him, more like a model, like Ann. Even if she did have thighs that looked like they could crush his head and now he was getting off topic. Actually, what had he been thinking about again?

“Would you mind showing me?” Ren asked, his face not revealing his thoughts.

“Alright.” The woman cracked her knuckles and walked up to the dummy as Ren stepped aside.

Suddenly, as if turning on a switch, the silver haired beauty gained an air of tenacity, assuming a fighting stance similar to one he’d seen Makoto use before. When she began to punch, her fists flowed like water, hitting her target in rapid succession with absolutely no wasted movements. With a final movement, she uppercutted the dummy and sent its head flying from its body.

As the head landed on the floor, Ren let out a gulp. Even with all of the fighting experience he’d gained so far he wouldn’t have been able to manage such a feat. Sure he could send the dummy flying across the gym with a single punch, but what she’d done was something entirely different, focusing on speed and precision rather than power. It was clear to Ren that there was a huge gap between their fighting abilities.

“Dammit. The gym’s gonna charge me again.” She said to herself as she looked at the dismembered dummy head. “Sorry about that, got carried away I guess. Did you at least pick up on what I was doing differently?”

“Uhhh.” He wasn’t quite sure what to say. He’d seen the whole thing, but at the same time, it was too fast to properly observe.

The woman let out a sigh before walking over to his right side. Without a word, she grabbed his arm and forced it into position.

“Here. Like this, see?” Her tone made it sound like she was talking to a small child. She bent his elbow and had him softly punch the headless dummy. “Get it?”

“Y-*ehem* Yes.” Ren said, his voice cracking slightly.

“Good.” There was a brief beat of silence between them as they looked each other in the eyes, her arms still holding Ren’s bicep. The silence was then interrupted by a buzzing sound from the corner of the room. “I’ve gotta get that.” The woman said as she walked away.

Ren watched her walk for a moment before deciding that was creepy, instead turning his attention to the clock. School would be starting in an hour, he should probably start getting ready-

“What!?” The woman’s voice came from the side of the gym. Her phone was pressed to her ear as she stood over her purse. “I’ll-I’ll be right there!” She hung up and started grabbing her things. As she pushed open the door to leave, her head shot back towards Ren, seemingly remembering she wasn’t alone. “S-Sorry I’ve got to go.”

“What happened?” Ren asked, somewhat worried for her.

“Something wonderful.” Her crimson lips turned up in a smile. With that, she ran out the door without another word.

“Wait! I never got your-” The door slammed shut.

“Name.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new character makes their debut, you already know who it is. This chapter mainly serves the purpose of setting up future events. I'd love to hear your guys' speculation on what's coming soon. Let me know what you guys think in the comments and tell me what you guys want to see in the future, I read all comments and take them into account when I write. See you guys soon.


	77. Chapter 77

[106]

Makoto Niijima was out of breath as she pushed through the hospital door and ran straight to the front desk. When she had gotten the news on her way to school that morning, she immediately dropped everything and ran the entire way to the hospital.

“Is *huff* Is he really awake?” She asked the nurse at the front desk. After visiting the hospital so many times in the past few months, the staff there were well aware of who Makoto was and what she meant.

“Hello Ms. Niijima.” The nurse greeted. “Yes, your father is awake, your sister is already with him.”

In that moment, Makoto didn’t even feel the pain in her lungs, she was simply too overjoyed.

“Now if you’ll just sign this visitor sheet-” 

But it was too late, before the nurse could even finish his sentence, Makoto was sprinting down the hall to her father’s room. “Sorry!” She called back, but made no attempt to stop.

When she finally arrived at the correct room, she slid open the door to find her father, Akihiko Niijima, sitting up in his bed and her sister Sae sitting next to him. The two were surprised to see her, but their looks of surprise were quickly replaced with smiles. For the first time in months, the three of them could be really, truly together again.

“Daddy!” She yelled as she enveloped the man in a hug, tears flowing from her eyes. She didn’t care if it sounded childish, her father was awake and that was all that mattered.

“Mako!” He said weakly as he put his arms around her back.

“Dad. *sniff* I-I was so scared. I was afraid you might never wake up.” Makoto’s voice was shaky as her tears began to run down his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that Mako. I can only imagine how hard all of this was the both of you. I never meant to put myself in danger but-”

“Shut up Dad.” Sae said as she joined in on the hug. “Never scare us like that again. Understand?” Her tone was half sentimental, half scolding.

“Yes ma’am.” He replied.

The trio let the embrace last for another minute, soaking in the reality that they were all together again. When they finally did let each other go, both sisters decided to hold on to one of their father’s hands while they spoke.

“When I heard how long I’d been out, I nearly fell into another coma just from shock. My daughters, living on their own for almost 3 months? Did you burn down the apartment?” He chuckled softly.

Both of them rolled their eyes at the dumb joke. Classic Dad.

“You know, I’m an adult with a well-paying job and a pension, and Makoto is nearly in college. We can manage on our own.”

“Oh? So you’re saying you don’t need your dear old dad to take care of you anymore?”

“On the contrary.” Sae said. “From here on, you will be staying home so that we can take care of you.” She crossed her leg and smirked.

“You want me to retire? I know my hair is grey but I’m not an old man just yet.”

“Dad, I’m serious. No more dangerous police work. There’s a new villain on the street every other week now. Things in the city have taken a serious nosedive in the past months. Police aren’t enough anymore.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about me doing roundhouse kicks on super criminals anymore. The doc told me my right leg was shattered, my kneecap was destroyed beyond repair and I’ll probably need a cane to walk.” Suddenly, a look of shock appeared on his face. “Oh my god. I am an old man.”

“Dad…” Makoto said, concerned.

Sae closed her eyes and let out a long sigh before turning back to her father. “Look, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but the company has big plans in the near future, ones that include a large raise in my pay. Money won’t be a problem anymore, you can retire early and focus on pursuing other goals in your life. Maybe you could even try dating agai-”

“Sae.” Akihiko interrupted, a dead serious look in his eyes. “The only women I’ve ever needed in my life are you, your sister, and your mom.” His expression lightened. “Besides, who else would want this old bag of bones in their life?”

Makoto was surprised by Sae’s suggestion. The two of them had been trying to get their dad back in the dating pool for years now, not out of a need for a new mother, but for their father’s own sake. Their attempts had always fallen short though, eventually they’d given up entirely, or at least that’s what Makoto had thought.

Minako Niijima had been the love of their father’s life. So much so that he actually ended up taking her last name when they got married. Minako had been an orphan when growing up, losing her parents in a car accident at 10 years old. After bouncing from orphanage to orphanage through her teens, she eventually found herself at Gekkoukan High School, where she met Dad.

“I appreciate all that you’re offering,” Their dad continued. “But I’m happy with my life as it is. Why don’t we continue this discussion at another time? Don’t you have work right now? And Mako, shouldn’t you be in class?”

“I’ll call in sick.” Makoto replied, hugging her father’s arm. “I just got you back, I don’t want to leave you so soon.”

“You won’t lose me Mako, I’ll be right here. I promise.” He reassured, petting his daughter’s head.

Suddenly, the door to the room slid open once more, and in stepped their father’s police partner and best friend since high school, Junpei Iori.

“Sorry to say this, but the fundraiser to turn your unconscious body into a Robocop ended up falling short of its goal. But it’s okay, I used the funds to buy you a coffee instead.” The man held out a small styrofoam cup of steaming brown liquid.

“Uncle Junpei!” Makoto smiled at the newcomer. 

“Isn’t that the free coffee they give out in the lobby?” Sae asked, looking at the cup.

“How dare you!” Junpei mocked being offended. “And after going through all of this trouble. Aki, your daughter’s being mean again!”

“Good to see you again Junpei.” Akihiko smiled at his partner. “I don’t remember a lot from that night, but I do remember you saving my life, so thank you.”

“No problem, I owe you after all the times you did the same for me.” He turned to the two younger girls. “Has he told you what he did yet? Took on Tombstone with his bare hands and laid him out like Bruce Lee.”

Sae turned to her father with an angry expression in her eyes. “No. He failed to mention that.”

Realizing that he was only going to get in more trouble if he let Junpei go on, Akihiko decided to take preventative measures. “Girls, how about you two go? You’ve got work and school waiting for you and I’ll be stuck here for the rest of the day. You can come visit me when you get off.”

Both of the girls wanted to protest, but the look they got from him told them that there wouldn’t be a discussion. With that, the Niijima sisters hugged their dad goodbye and exited the hospital.

“Can I give you a ride to school?” Sae asked as she stepped into her car.

“That’s okay, I know it’s out of your way so I’ll just take the train.” Makoto replied. Her sister shrugged and stepped into her car, a chrome luxury car that her boss had bought her. From what Makoto knew, this particular model wasn’t even available to the public yet. Having your boss be the richest man in Japan had its perks.

Makoto arrived at school during the third period, much to the surprise of her fellow classmates. Being the student council president and resident ‘robot’, rumors regarding why she was late spread like wildfire. From what she heard, one in particular accused her of ditching class to be with her boyfriend, the school delinquent. That one made Makoto blush more than she’d care to admit.

“Makoto!” A familiar voice called out to her in the hallway. When she turned her head, she spotted Ann and Morgana standing by the stairs. The pair waved her over and she joined them, having a few minutes of free time before class.

“Where were you?” Ann asked. “It’s not like you to be late for school.”

“Sorry, I was at the hospital. My dad, he finally woke up from his coma.”

“Oh my god!” She exclaimed. “That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you!” She brought the older girl into a hug, which Makoto promptly accepted.

“Wait.” Morgana chimed in. “So then, you weren’t with Ren?”

Shocked that one of her friends would believe such a scandalous rumor, she vehemently denied it, reassuring Ann that she had no interest in her crush. (Even if it was a lie.) Unknown to both of them, Morgana was kicking himself mentally, upset that his ‘Lady Ann’ still had a shot with Ren.

“Why does everyone think I was with Ren? Isn’t he here?” Makoto asked.

“No. He didn’t show up to class today. He hasn’t been answering our texts either. And if he wasn’t with you…” Ann began, but Makoto finished for her.

“Then where the hell is he?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked this chapter! I think dialogue is the most important part of a good story, hopefully mine is good enough to keep this chapter interesting. I snuck a lot of hints towards future events in this chapter, so we'll just have to see how they turn out. I also wanted to clarify in this chapter that while Minako is Makoto and Sae's mom, she isn't related to Minato. Minako's last name is Niijima while Minato's is Arisato. The only sibling that Minato has is his brother, Ren's father. So where is Ren? Find out in the next chapter.


	78. Chapter 78

[107]

Ren sighed as he looked up at Naoto’s apartment complex. He hadn’t visited since moving out back in September and it could be said that they weren’t on the best of terms right now. The reason he came to see Naoto rather than going to school that morning was because he knew that after working the night shift, he could find her here this morning and he needed information if he was going to take on Scorpion and Prowler again.

“Mind sharing what you’re doing here?” A voice came from behind Ren.

He jumped in surprise at the voice, spinning around and assuming a fighting stance. His act of self defense surprised the voice’s owner who flinched and curled herself into a ball. Her dark green jacket made her look like a scared turtle.

“Futaba!? What are you doing here?” Ren lowered his fists and stepped towards the girl. “Wha- Did you follow me?”

“I saw that the GPS on your phone wasn’t going to your school, so I followed you since you could’ve been kidnapped or something!” She replied, still crouched and hiding.

“So let me get this straight. You thought I was being kidnapped, and thought the best course of action was to follow me. By yourself.” Ren stared at the girl skeptically with his arms crossed.

“Everyone else was at school.” Futaba stood up. “I’m not just some kid y’know! I can stand up for myself. I’m 16 years old, I’m practically an adult! I have a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Tokyo.”

“Does the University of Tokyo know this?”

“I’m sure they’ll find out I hacked their servers eventually, besides if they did find out, they’d probably give me the degree anyway. Also, I brought a taser.” She pulled out a small black item and pushed a button, causing it to spark.

“Fine, it’s not like I’m expecting trouble anyways. Just...it might be a little awkward.” Ren rubbed the back of his neck.

“Why would it be awkward?” Futaba questioned. “Who are we here for anyway?”

“I am here to see a contact of mine who works for the police. You’ve met her before actually, she was the officer you spoke to when you guys stayed at the police station.”

Futaba’s eyes turned downward. “Oh. I...I try not to think about that night.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” He reached out to console her, turning to the apartment, then back to her. “Why don’t you wait out here. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“No.” Futaba’s hands grasped his wrist. “I’m a part of the team too. I can do more than just sit behind a computer.” She looked up to meet his gaze, showing the determination in her eyes.

Ren finally relented and the two of them entered the building, taking the elevator to Naoto’s floor. 

“So why do you think this is going to be awkward?” Futaba asked, turning to Ren, her hands still on his arm.

“Naoto and I…” He struggled with how to phrase it. “We um…”

“Y-You had sex with her!?” Futaba yelled, her face red.

“I didn’t say that!” Ren yelled back before turning back sheepishly. “But...yeah.”

“OH MY GOD!” She punched his side. “REN!”

“Ow! Hey, not on the staples!” He clutched his side where he’d had surgery the night prior.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened revealing a startled couple watching a small girl pummel a taller boy. When they looked up from what they were doing, Ren and Futaba awkwardly stepped aside and onto the floor. Naoto’s door wasn’t far from the elevator, so Futaba didn’t have the chance to continue her assault.

Ren knocked on the door with one hand, making sure to do it loud enough that it would wake her up. He felt bad for interrupting her sleep, but this was urgent and he may not have the chance to speak to her otherwise. After several moments of waiting in silence, Futaba pouting at him the entire time, the sound of footsteps from inside of the apartment could be heard.

The door cracked open to reveal part of Naoto’s face, her eyes had bags beneath them. “What is it?” Whether or not she could see Ren, he couldn’t tell.

“Sorry to wake you, but this is important. It’s about the fire last night. Two villains tried to kill me, I think someone hired them. I need any info on them you can give. Think we can come in?”

“We?” She asked tiredly. Naoto’s tired gaze shifted over to Futaba. “Oh, I know you. Sakura, right?”

“Y-Yes ma’am.” The girl in question answered nervously.

“Alright come in.” She shut the door and the sound of locks turning could be heard from the other side.

When they stepped inside, Naoto shut the door behind them and walked into the kitchen to make herself some coffee. As she walked away, Ren couldn’t help but notice her pajamas. A pair of boxers with hearts on them and an ‘I heart Tokyo’ t-shirt that was two sizes too large for her.

‘A-Are those...mine?’ Ren thought, sweating profusely. ‘I must have left them here after the move.’ When he glanced over at Futaba, and could see the gears turning in her brain. She must have realized it too, because a few moments later he mouth became agape before turning back to Ren and pouting.

Seemingly unaware of the situation, Naoto poured herself a cup of black coffee and took a seat across from the two of them on the couch. After taking a drink from her mug, she seemed to become more alert.

“So,” She set down her mug. “What is it you need from me exactly?”

“What can you tell me about Scorpion and Prowler? Who employs them? Do they work together often? Did Yu find any weaknesses that I can exploit? What about-”

“Whoa, slow down.” Naoto interrupted. “I’ve pulled three nightshifts back to back, I’m sorry but, I’m a little out of it right now.” She took another sip from her mug. “Let’s start with Scorpion. His real name is Sho Minazuki, he’s a serial killer who got his hands on an advanced battle suit. If he’s working for someone, there’s really no telling who. He’ll work for whoever pays, but mostly he just focused on trying to kill Yu.”

“Any weaknesses?”

“Well, he’s not too bright. He isn’t the type to put a master plan in place. So if you laid out a trap, he’d probably fall for it. Other than that, watch out for the tail, it can react to things even if he doesn’t see them.”

“What about Prowler? Any advice for him?”

Naoto paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. “He’s a lot more elusive from what I know, not to mention a lot more dangerous. He works exclusively as a contract killer, so someone definitely hired him to kill you, someone with deep pockets.” She took another sip. “From what I know, he was in prison up until recently. Whoever broke him out must’ve hired him and Scorpion, that narrows down the list quite a bit. Very few people have that much influence.”

The more Naoto spoke about these two, the worse a feeling Ren got in his stomach. He let out a gulp before continuing. “Any weaknesses?”

“None that I know of. Yu struggled to handle him by himself, the guy was able to hold his own against him despite not having any powers. His tech, skills, and planning are all incredibly dangerous. However, he doesn’t seem willing to take civilian lives, none he wasn’t hired to kill anyways.”

“What about his name? Do you know it?”

“Yeah. Minato Arisato. The media kept quiet about his identity for the sake of his family, he pissed off a lot of powerful people.” Naoto continued to speak, but Ren wasn’t listening.

‘Uncle Minato? No. No! He wasn’t a murderer! He went to prison for embezzlement...right? Or was it tax fraud? Oh no. Minato had just been released from prison. And he said he was working a new job, one that paid very well.’ Ren grasped his head in his hands, his fingers brushing against the new scar on his eyebrow. ‘Oh god. My uncle tried to kill me!’

“Ren? Ren, are you alright?” Naoto asked.

When he looked up, the room’s two other occupants were staring at him, concerned.

“What is it?” Futaba asked.

“I-It’s nothing. We should go.” He stood up from his seat. “Thank you for the help Naoto, please go get some rest.”

“Wait, what’s going on?” Naoto stood up as well, noticeably more lucid.

Without responding, he exited through the front door. Futaba looked frantically between Naoto and the door before chasing after Ren.

“I’ll look after him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. Thank you for the help!” She called on the way out, shutting the door behind her.

When she got out into the hall, Futaba saw Ren a few feet away, leaning with his arm against the wall. His expression was unreadable, but definitely wasn’t good.

“What’s wrong Ren? You freaked out when-” She stopped for a moment. “The Prowler, do you know him?”

Ren whispered something under his breath, not looking up from the wall.

“What? I didn’t hear you.” She asked, leaning in. When Ren didn’t respond, she pushed further. “C’mon Ren, we’re a team. We can’t have secrets between us, so if you know something, you need to tell m-”

“CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!?” Ren shouted angrily, turning towards a now scared Futaba.

“R-Ren…” She squeaked out, now realizing that the subject was sensitive.

Regretting his outburst, Ren turned back towards the wall. “I’m sorry. I’m just...still processing what I just heard.” He put his back to the wall and slid down to the floor.

After a moment of hesitation, Futaba decided to join him, squatting next to him on the floor.

“Why don’t we just take it slow then? You can talk to me when you feel comfortable.”

A memory flashed through Ren’s mind, one of his and Futaba’s first meeting. When Sojiro decided to introduce the two of them, Futaba had panicked and hid in her room. But instead of giving up on her, Ren took a seat, leaning up against her door.

“Why don’t we just take it slow then? You can talk to me when you feel comfortable.” Ren’s own words back then echoed in his mind as Futaba said them back to him now.

Without thinking, he pulled her to his side, unknowingly causing the girl to blush.

“Thank you.”

[Bonus]

As Naoto walked back to her bedroom, rubbing her tired eyes, she pondered what had made Ren so upset. She’d have to look into it later, but for now she needed sleep. She checked the clock and saw that it was getting close to noon. Thankfully, the chief had given her the day off so that she could rest and replenish.

‘I really need to work on my work-life schedule. Maybe when all of this is over.’ She thought to herself. ‘Like that will ever happen.’

She entered her bathroom, the taste of coffee lingered in her mouth so she decided to brush her teeth. As she began to brush, she looked at herself in the mirror.

‘Not exactly a professional look to have for guests, but then again Ren has seen me naked.’ She joked mentally before pausing at the thought. Taking in her appearance in the mirror, she realized what she was wearing.

They were Ren’s clothes. The clothes Ren had accidentally left in the laundry when he moved out. The clothes that she wore to bed whenever she worried about whether or not she’d find him dead in the streets tomorrow. The clothes she hadn’t brought herself to wash yet because they still smelled like him. The clothes Ren had just seen her casually wearing around the house.

As she came to this realization, only two words escaped her lips.

“Oh no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the chapter out! It's very late and I'm very tired, I was working on reapplying to school all day so I feel exhausted. I hope you guys liked the chapter and felt the characters' emotions. As always, tell me what you think in the comments. Until next time!


	79. Chapter 79

[108]

3 Years Ago:

Ren sat in math class, bored out of his mind. As he tried to keep himself from falling asleep during the teacher’s lecture, an announcement rang out over the intercom.

“Ren Amamiya to the front office please. Ren Amamiya to the front office.”

Everyone in the classroom turned to face the 14 year old boy. The other students began whispering amongst one another what it was he could’ve done to get in trouble. While he didn’t go looking for trouble, Ren was somewhat known around school for getting involved in several fights, mostly when he saw someone getting bullied.

Confused as to what he could’ve done, Ren stood up and exited the classroom with his things. As he walked through the halls, he began to fear what his parents would have to say when they found out, if they didn’t know already that is. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the door to the office.

Ren let out an audible gulp before pushing the door open. There was a woman typing on her computer at the desk, she was a plump, middle aged with curly brown hair and wore a sweater with cats on it.

“Um, excuse me?” He got the secretary’s attention. “I’m Ren Amamiya.”

“Oh my goodness.” The woman said, getting up out of her seat and running up to the boy.

Ren wasn’t sure what was going on. What had he done to warrant this kind of reaction? He was even more confused when the secretary wrapped her arms around the boy.

“I’m so sorry about what happened to your mother! Your dad is outside waiting to take you to the hospital to see her.”

“What!?” Ren’s blood ran cold. “What happened to my mom!?”

“Oh my goodness, you didn’t even know! I’m so sorry! Hurry! Hurry outside and go see your dad, I’m sure he’ll explain on the way!”

Now scared beyond belief, Ren ran out of the school, not even bothering to grab his things first. He reached the parking lot and searched for his dad’s car, but it was nowhere in sight.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder from behind. Ren reacted the way anyone would and jumped away in surprise. He turned around and saw a man in a trench coat and hat with sunglasses on.

“W-Who are you!? Did you do something to my mom!?” He questioned angrily, ready for a fight.

“Relax kid, your mom is fine.” The man in the trench coat said, removing his sunglasses and hat. Beneath them was a familiar face, that of Ren’s favorite uncle.

“Wha-Uncle Minato!?” He shouted, more confused than ever. “Why are you here?”

“Why do you think? I’m busting you out of school, kid.” He started walking towards his car, a red sports car that he’d parked in front of the school’s entrance. (Illegally of course.)

“I’m confused. Mom’s okay? She isn’t hurt? And what are you wearing?”

“Ever seen a movie called ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’? Great movie, you should watch it sometime. It’ll make the bit I’m doing a whole lot funnier.” Minato said as he hopped into the driver’s seat. As far as Ren was aware, he was the only one his uncle showed his sense of humor to, it was nice, it made him feel special.

Ren followed him, getting in on the passenger’s side, more to get answers than anything else. When they got into the car, Minato hit the gas and the car drove out of the parking lot at a high speed.

“Where are we going?” Ren yelled over the roar of the engine. If Minato heard him, he didn’t show it, instead continuing to speed down the road. They drove through the town, not speaking as they passed various buildings, this continued on until they reached the edge of town.

Minato pulled into a parking space at an old abandoned shop Ren had never seen before, he’d never even been this far out of his hometown before. With the car parked, his uncle stepped out of the vehicle and walked up to the shop.

“Um, Uncle Minato?” Ren asked, stepping out of the vehicle himself, somewhat scared. Why had his uncle brought him out to such a remote location? Why wasn’t he speaking to him? When he turned back to his uncle, he saw the man step into the shop by himself. “W-Wait up!” He chased after him into the shop.

By the time he reached the door, Ren’s heart was pounding. He was unsure of what he would find in the shop, and why he was even here to begin with. He knew his uncle was a shady guy, his dad made that much clear, but he’d never seemed that way to Ren.

With his heart pounding, Ren cracked open the door to the shop, only to find his uncle bent over the store’s counter, trying to grab something. 

“Wh-What are you doing?” He asked hesitantly.

“Almost...Got it!” Minato said, pulling back from the counter. In his hands were two plastic bags containing ice cream sandwiches. He walked over to a booth, took a seat and began to unwrap one of the sandwiches

Ren, now relieved, took a seat across from him. When his uncle offered him the other treat in his hand, he looked at it hesitantly. “Um, Aren’t those like, really old?”

“Nah, I come by here every so often to restock.” Even so, Ren saw him subtly check the wrapper for the expiration date.

“What is this place? Why did you bring me here?”

“This,” Minato kicked his feet onto the table. “Is my favorite place in the world. You know your dad and I grew up in this town, right?”

Ren nodded in response, chewing on his ice cream.

“Well, when we were growing up, we used to come by here every week. An old American couple ran this place, Ben and May. Even when we had no money, they would treat us to some ice cream. I had a lot of firsts here, first job, first date. I spent so much time here, that the owners became family to me, the closest thing I had besides your dad. I was heartbroken when they died.”

“He never told me any of this.” Ren said, surprised by all of this new information.

“Your dad...he isn’t proud of how he grew up. I think he’d rather put it all behind him than think about it. It’s probably part of why he doesn’t like me seeing you.”

“So, why are you showing this to me now?”

Minato sighed and put his feet back on the floor. “I’m going out of town for business. I might not be back for a while. I just figured I’d take you here, show you a piece of history, and share some ice cream.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Hard to say.” Minato said. “Just...take care of this place for me. Alright?” Without waiting for a response, he stood up and exited the shop.

The drive home was silent, by the time they got back, the sun was setting. Minato’s car pulled up in front of Ren’s house and came to a stop but left the engine running.

“It’s probably best if I don’t go in. Sorry, but you’re probably gonna have a shitstorm to deal with for ditching class today.”

“It’s okay, dealing with lectures from my parents is nothing new.” Ren reassured, stepping out of the car. With one foot still in the car, he turned back to his uncle. “I don’t know what’s going on, but please, please be careful.”

Minato looked at his nephew, a heartfelt smile on his face. “I will. Love you kiddo. Stay out of trouble.” With their goodbyes said, Minato sped off into the sunset.

That was the last time Ren saw his uncle in person. The news of his arrest came a year later, when Ren’s dad explained that Minato was arrested for embezzling funds from his company. It was only now that he realized that it had all been a lie.

Present Day:

The bell of Leblanc’s front door jingled as two teens entered the cafe. Ren couldn’t help but be reminded of the day he skipped school 3 years ago, only this time he didn’t have to deal with his parents’ lectures, that right would be reserved for Sojiro now.

“Mind explaining where you two were today? The school called asking me where you were, so I had to lie and say you were sick and in bed. Which, if I’m being honest, you should be after you got that hole in your chest.”

‘Sojiro’s the best.’ Ren thought to himself, smiling.

“Wait a second,” Futaba turned to Ren. “Hole in your chest? Did you get shot!?”

“That’s not really important right now Futaba. Thanks for covering for me Sojiro, and I assure you it was very important. I think I’ll take your advice and turn in early tonight, I’ve gotta go speak to Uncle Minato tomorrow.”

Suddenly, a flushing noise came from the cafe’s bathroom and the door creaked open.

“Someone say my name?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I've been busy with handling back to school stuff. I promise I'll keep working on this while I'm at school, it just may take longer. Thank you to everyone who's been supporting me so far in this story and I promise I'll do my best to deliver you guys the story you're expecting. Until next time!


	80. Chapter 80

[109]

“U-Uncle Minato!” Ren said in surprise, his blood running cold at the sight of the Prowler. “What are you doing here?” The question ended up being more hostile than Ren had intended.

“Oh? I can’t take some time off work to see my nephew?” Minato asked before furrowing his brow. “More importantly, did I just hear something about you being shot?”

Ren was silent, sweat began to run down his neck as he thought up a lie. “N-No, I didn’t get shot!” He let out a fake laugh. “I just had to go get a shot. It turns out, I’m not up to date on my immunizations, so I had to skip school to go to the doctor’s today. I honestly feel like shit after getting so many shots, that’s why I wanted to turn in early.”

“Hmm.” Minato seemed to accept that answer, or at least he did as far as Ren could tell. “And who is this lovely young lady?” He gestured to Futaba, who was now cowering behind Ren for safety. “Is she your girlfriend? She’s cute.”

“That’s my daughter.” Sojiro joined the conversation. “And they most certainly are not dating. If he even thought about it, Ren would find his butt on the curb again.” He looked over at Ren with his arms crossed.

“Yeah, definitely not like that. She’s like a little sister to me.” Ren replied, still sweating and unaware that Futaba was now glaring at him from behind.

“Oh, my bad. Sorry for making assumptions.” Minato rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before glancing at his watch. “Well, if you’re turning in for the night, I should probably get going. I didn’t sleep too well myself last night, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to get some shuteye.”

‘Yeah, you were too busy trying to kill me.’ Ren thought to himself.

While Minato walked toward the door, Ren felt Futaba pinch his side over and over. Despite this, Ren made no effort to stop the man from leaving. The bell jingled once more as Minato exited the cafe.

“Well, guess I better head to bed.” Ren said awkwardly before heading up the stairs, leaving Futaba and Sojiro in the cafe. The young girl looked over at the door, then to Sojiro, then to the stairs before following after Ren.

“Hey! I’d better not hear that door close!” Sojiro called after her.

Futaba arrived at the top of the stairs and swung open the door to Ren’s room, only to find him about to remove his shirt.

“Um, a little privacy please!” Ren said, pulling his shirt back down.

“You wanna explain what that was about? Why did you just let one of the men who are out to kill you just walk out the door?” Futaba demanded.

“It’s…” Ren looked away. “It’s complicated. Okay Futaba?”

“What’s complicated about it? He’s a bad guy, you stop bad guys. And you just let a murderer walk out the door without so much as a word. He didn’t have any weapons, he wouldn’t have even seen it coming!”

“There’s more to it than that! You don’t get it Futaba!” Ren yelled.

“Don’t get what!? Having a family member who moonlights as a secret supervillain!? Ren, I might be the only other person in the world who gets it!” She yelled back.

“I’m not-! I-I can’t…” Ren’s voice began to quiver. “I just...I can’t right now.” A tear began to form in the corner of his eye.

Futaba was concerned. Even at his most physically hurt, she’d never seen him so vulnerable.

“You didn’t have to fight Wakaba. You didn’t have to hit her over and over, hoping she would go down, but trying so desperately not to hurt her. I did. And now...now I’m going to have to do the same to my uncle, the one guy who was there for me when I was growing up. ”

“I...I never knew you thought about that.” 

“I think about it all the time.” Ren replied. “I don’t want to hurt anyone Futaba, least of all my uncle. Look, I know he has to be stopped, but when I saw him just now...I froze. I could only see the man who helped raise me. The man who took me to my first baseball game. Who still cared for me even after my parents stopped talking to me.”

“Ren…” Futaba watched as he put his head in his hands.

“I’ll be fine next time I see him, okay? I’m just tired tonight, so please let me rest.” With that, Ren laid down in bed and threw the covers over himself.

Not knowing what to do now, Futaba stood in the middle of the room, watching over Ren as he tried to sleep. She didn’t want to end their conversation on a bad note and wanted Ren to know that she was still in his corner, ready to help him whenever he needed it. So, remembering something her mother used to do to her after they had an argument, she walked up behind the older boy and placed a kiss on the back of his head.

“Um, Futaba? Did you just ki-”

“AGH!WELLIJUSTIMEANIGOTTAGOSEEYOUBYE!” She sprinted out of his room, slamming the door behind her and rushing down the stairs.

Ren turned over in his bed, staring at the closed door. “When did my life become such a mess?”

The next morning, Ren found himself lying down in the nurse's office before classes began for the day. Takemi was systematically removing his medical staples while the two had their usual banter.

“Looks like we can add a few more scars to your collection. You know, those could take a toll on you in the long term.” The doctor said, running her hand over the bullet wound next to his heart. Pink veiny lines protruded from the now repaired flesh where the bullet had passed through, making it seem as though Ren’s heart was visible from the outside.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Even so, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find them a little sexy.” She said, running her thumb over the scar on his eyebrow.

“I’ll *ahem* I’ll keep that in mind too.” Ren replied, his voice cracking.

After having her fun, the doctor turned her attention back to her work. “I must say,” Takemi said while pulling more of the metal from his side. “I’m impressed with the work this nurse did, she must have an incredibly steady hand. You said she operated on you in her kitchen?”

“Yeah, on the table. Apparently I was resisting in my sleep.” Ren said, flinching at the pain. “I would’ve died that night if she hadn’t found me.”

Suddenly Takemi’s demeanor changed,her brow furrowed in aggression and her hands became less delicate as she worked. “Well, maybe you should just make her your new doctor from now on.” She removed another staple, much harder this time.

“OW!” Ren yelped. “T-Takemi!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sure your other doctor would’ve done such a better job.”

“Wha-Are you seriously angry with me for letting someone else treat my wounds? I didn’t exactly have much say in the matter!”

Takemi merely turned her head and pouted. In reality, she wasn’t angry with Ren for getting help from someone else, she was frustrated with herself for not being there to help. If he hadn’t gotten lucky, if there hadn’t been someone around to help, he’d be dead right now. If she was going to be of any help to Ren, hell if she was going to help anyone, she needed her clinic back.

As the doctor wrapped Ren’s side to prevent any bleeding, (while still pouting) the door to the office cracked open. A familiar girl with red hair in a ponytail entered the room clutching her arm.

“Um, excuse me? Nurse?” Sumire Yoshizawa asked as she looked at Takemi’s back. “I hurt my elbow during gymnastics practice. Do you think you could take a look at-” She trailed off as she saw who the nurse was currently assisting.

Surprised by the sudden intrusion, Takemi turned to face the young girl, unintentionally revealing the large bandages wrapped around Ren’s stomach.

“S-Senpai?” She asked, concerned. “Oh my gosh! What happened to you?” The younger girl ran up to her friend. Upon inspecting his body closer, Sumire was able to see the myriad of wounds across Ren’s torso and arms. “Senpai…” She held her hand to her mouth and backed away in shock.

“Sumire!” Ren quickly threw his shirt back on and sat up from the bed. “I-I can explain. ”

“There were so many rumors. That you were in a gang, that you were violent.” She continued to back away, avoiding him as he reached out to her. “ I didn’t believe it when she told me but...maybe my sister was right. You are dangerous.”

“No! Sumire, I’m not in a gang! I’d never hurt you! I just...have a rough job.”

“What kind of job does...that to a person?” She gestures towards Ren’s chest. “If it’s not from criminal activity then tell me, where did you get those? What is it you do when you’re not here?”

Ren...couldn’t think of anything. He didn’t have any excuses. What could he even say in this situation? Without outing himself as Spider-Man, the rumors about him being a dangerous delinquent were the only feasible explanation he could fall back on. But Sumire was his friend, and while he didn’t want her to get involved with his Spider-Man business, he didn’t want her thinking he’d hurt her either.

“I…I can’t say.” He hung his head in shame.

Looking more hurt than afraid now, Sumire turned and walked out of the room, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. As she hurried through the school’s hallways, wiping her eyes as she turned a corner, she collided with another student and fell to the floor.

“Oh my goodness! Are you alright?” A soft feminine voice asked.

When Sumire looked up, she saw a fluffy haired girl wearing a pink sweater standing over her. She knew this girl, not personally but knew of her. This was Haru Okumura, heir to Okumura Enterprises and a third year at Shujin Academy. But more importantly to Sumire, it was the girl Kasumi had seen Ren with the other week.

According to her sister, she had seen Ren and Haru in a compromising position which no platonic friends would be in. 

“I’m-I’m alright.” Sumire picked herself up and dusted herself off.

Looking at the girl now, Sumire could see why Ren would be attracted to her. She was tall, mature, beautiful, caring, and not to mention rich beyond belief. Haru was the full package, and as much as Sumire wanted to dislike this girl, she couldn’t, she was just that sweet.

“Are you sure? It looks like your arm is hurt.” Haru pointed out her injured elbow. Sumire mentally slapped herself. She’d forgotten the reason she went to the nurse’s office in the first place!

“I’m fine, it’s nothing.” As Sumire began to walk away, she turned back to Haru. “Um, just one thing before I go.”

“Hmm?” Haru turned to her with a curious look.

“You should be careful around your boyfriend. The rumors around him might be exaggerated, but I...I think he’s dangerous.” WIth that, the first year ran off to class, leaving a confused Haru standing alone in the hall.

“B-Boyfriend!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the next chapter out without taking too long of a break! I know, I know, not a lot happened this chapter, but we're gearing up for the end of the arc. I decided to throw in Sumire this chapter since she hasn't done much lately, and I get more requests for her than any other girl. If her behavior seems odd, I'd like you to remember that according to the rest of the school, Ren is a dangerous criminal still. Seeing him covered in stab and bullet wounds would undoubtedly reinforce that belief and cause her to believe more in what her sister has been telling her. Also, I wanted to point out that back when Haru first found out about Ren being Spider-Man and had to carry her down from the roof, I said that a first year spotted them. That first year was Kasumi, who then told her sister about it in hopes that it would discourage her from pursuing Ren romantically. Sometimes I'm not super sure if I get my thoughts across well enough when I write, I want to be subtle but I sometimes fear that I may not be clear enough when I do that. Let me know what your guys' experience has been with reading this. Also if you have any questions, comment and I'll be sure to answer them so long as they don't spoil anything.


	81. Chapter 81

[110]

“SIX DAYS AND NO NEWS!?” Sho Minazuki threw the remote against the hideout’s TV, causing the screen to shatter. Rather than reporting the death of Spider-Man, all that appeared were dumb news stories about celebrities and politicians. “I’m sick of this lying low BULLSHIT!” He yelled as he flipped over the couch. “I just got out of one prison only to be thrown into another!”

As his partner continued to wreak havoc around their base, Minato was performing maintenance on his weapons.

“If you did go outside, you’d be arrested on sight.” The assassin pointed out. “You stand out far too much in a crowd and as I’ve pointed out before, you aren’t exactly subtle.”

Sho turned to the other man with an angry expression. “We should be out there! We should be burning this city to the ground until that damn spider shows his face! Instead, we’re down here with our thumbs up our asses, eating shitty takeout for every meal while the clock on our contract is ticking! If the news hasn’t reported Spider-Man’s death after a goddamn week, then it’s clear to me that the bastard’s not dead!”

“There haven’t been any reported sightings of him in a week either. It’s fully possible that he is dead, but to avoid causing panic, the media is keeping quiet.” Minato pointed out while reassembling his sniper rifle. “In a way, I suppose you could say that this is a Schrodinger’s Cat situation.”

“Huh?” Sho was completely lost.

“The point is, unless Spider-Man appears in the next two days, it can’t be proven that we didn’t kill him and therefore we completed our end of the deal. We get paid, and we never have to see each other again. There’s no reason to bring further attention to ourselves, it would only put us at a greater risk of being caught.”

“Yeah?” Sho raised an eyebrow. “If you’re so sure that Spider-Man’s dead, then why are you working on your weapons?” He pointed to the gear that surrounded Minato on the floor.

“Simple. I don’t trust our employer, who’s to say he won’t try to get rid of us the moment the job is complete? If push comes to shove, I won’t be caught off guard. That’s how one should operate in this business, be prepared for anything.”

The other villain merely grumbled in response, walking into the adjacent room. “I’m gonna go take a shower, don’t bother me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Minato replied, not bothering to look up from his work. 

When he checked his watch, he was surprised to find that it was already 5 in the afternoon. Ren was probably home by now. Maybe he could go visit him? Minato pondered to himself, he hadn’t been by the cafe since the night Ren came back looking exhausted. 

That night, his nephew had acted differently than normal, but he hadn’t understood why. Maybe it was because of the girl he was with? While he’d said there was nothing between them, Minato was pretty good at reading body language, and how the girl, Futaba, had stood around him wasn’t merely friendly.

‘Did I embarrass him?’ Minato wondered as he sharpened his suit’s claws. ‘I wonder if Ren’s at the age where he’s embarrassed by his family? Surely, having an uncle who went to prison wasn’t something he was proud of.’ As he pondered this line of thought, he remembered why Ren had come to Tokyo in the first place. ‘Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, punished for helping others, and ridiculed by his parents, Ren’s had it rough. Poor kid.’

As he completed his weapon maintenance, he moved on to his armor, still thinking of the last time he’d seen his nephew. For some reason, something about Ren had stood out that night, something seemed different than last time he’d seen him. As he played their conversation over and over in his head, he closed his eyes, picturing the details.

Ren had arrived in the cafe while Minato was in the restroom (embarrassing as it was, coffee went right through him) and he’d brought a girl with him. They spoke with Sojiro about something and as Minato was washing his hands, he definitely heard the word ‘shot’. When he left the restroom and joined the conversation, Ren seemed surprised. Surprised and...nervous.

‘Why was he nervous?’ Minato wondered, picturing Ren’s face. Something else was different, his eyes? No, not his eyes but near them. His eyebrow! His right eyebrow had a scar running down the middle. Ren didn’t have that when he saw him the day before, he was sure of it. But if he was injured, how did it already heal?

‘Ren was cut on his face, the same place that I cut Spider-Man the night before.’ Minato’s stomach dropped as his chest plate fell to the floor. ‘No. Nononono!’ He began to panic. ‘Ren...Ren is Spider-Man!’

Oh god. He’d tried to kill Ren! He’d shot his nephew in the chest and nearly killed him!

As he sat on the floor, the shock of the realization left him speechless. The apartment was silent save for the occasional crackle and muffled voices from the busted television. It was only then, while sitting in shock, did Minato notice something else.

Wasn’t Sho taking a shower? So why didn’t he hear any water running? Minato stood up, grabbing his rifle and slowly approaching the room Sho had entered. 

Knocking gently on the door, he called out to his partner. “Sho?”

“Did I ever tell you about this story my mom read to me as a kid?” The man in question said from the other side. He was surprisingly calm, given his earlier outburst.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Minato said, confused and still alarmed.

“A scorpion approaches a frog and asks for a lift across the river. The frog says ‘No! You’ll just sting me!’” Sho let out a menacing chuckle that gave Minato a bad feeling. “So the scorpion says, ‘No I won’t. We’d both drown!’ So the frog agrees and lets the scorpion ride his back.”

“Sho, what the hell-” Before he could finish, the door was torn off its hinges and sent flying into the wall, along with Minato.

Sho’s mechanical tail retracted back into the doorway it emerged from, and Sho himself stepped out of the room in his battle suit. Spotting Minato lying on the ground, he approached his now former partner and picked him up by his shirt collar. The assassin was barely conscious, with blood pouring from his forehead.

“When the frog and the scorpion are halfway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog.” Sho gave a menacing grin as Minato’s eyes struggled to remain open. “The frog says, ‘Why would you do this? Now we’ll both die!’”

As his vision began to go black, all he could see was the sickening X-shaped scar on Sho’s forehead. Just before he faded out, he heard the end of the story.

“The scorpion replies, ‘I can’t help it,’” He tossed Minato’s unconscious form into the corner and lumbered toward the door. Putting on his helmet, he smiled.

“It’s in my nature.”

[111]

“Hey, intern!” The director yelled through a megaphone. “Get that microphone out of the shot! You’re ruining the take!”

“S-Sorry!” Ren apologized, quickly lifting the microphone higher.

“C’mon people, last scene of the day! Let’s try to wrap it up on a good note.” The director sent a glare towards Ren. “ACTION!”

When they finally finished the scene, Ren sat on a bench and took a swig from his water bottle. Who knew that the modelling industry could be so cutthroat?

“Sorry that took so long.” Ann apologized as she approached the bench Ren was sitting on. “Going through hair and makeup after a shoot takes longer than you’d think.”

The two of them were currently in the city square of Shibuya, where Ann was starring in a commercial for a new perfume. Ren had been invited by her as a guest, but when he’d arrived on set, he was mistaken for an intern and told to help out the sound crew.

“It’s fine, but I’m pretty sure your director hates me. Hey, did you know that interns aren’t allowed to use craft services? Seriously, I had to get this water from a vending machine across the street.” He held up his bottle before offering it to Ann.

Thirsty after her hard work, Ann accepted the water. “I’m really sorry about the mix-up, one of our guys didn’t show up today so they needed the extra help.”

“Well, I hope that wasn’t the only reason you invited me out here.” He joked.

Ann didn’t seem to take it as a joke though,instead panicking at the thought that Ren believed she’d use him.

“N-No! Of course that wasn’t why I invited you out here!” She waved her hands frantically.

Ren laughed at her response. “I’m joking, I was happy to help out, I don’t mind the work.” Suddenly checking his phone, he saw the time and stood up. “Speaking of work, I’ve got to get to my job.”

Ann raised an eyebrow, confused. “Right now? Is there a crime happening or-”

“No, not that one. My actual job.” He clarified while stretching. “At the Velvet Room?”

“Oh right, Morgana’s family’s club! I kinda forgot you worked there.” Ann replied, embarrassed.

“Yeah, I’ve been busy lately. Luckily Margaret didn’t seem to mind, but she wants me there tonight. We have a guest singer tonight and that tends to draw a crowd, so it’s all hands on deck tonight.” He turned to Ann and waved goodbye. “Thanks for bringing me today, it was cool to finally see you model in person.”

As he began to walk away, he was stopped when Ann grabbed his hand. “Wait!” She said, before turning her head, hiding her red cheeks. “I feel bad, I wanted to have a fun day with you, but we didn’t even get to talk to each other. Do you think...maybe I could come with?”

“You want to come with me to my job? I know I work at a nightclub, but it’s not glamorous. I wash dishes and mop floors.”

“That’s okay. I just...want to hang out with you some more.” She laughed nervously.

“Alright, if you say so.” Ren replied and led the girl down to the subway, still holding her hand.

The two of them got on the train together and rode towards Ogikubo. Since it was late in the afternoon, the subway wasn’t particularly crowded and the two teenagers managed to find open seats next to each other.

‘What am I supposed to say!?’ Ann thought nervously as she sat next to Ren. 

Her initial reason for inviting him out today was to ask if he would go to the dance with her, but she hadn’t pictured the day going like this! In her plan, she would bring him to her modelling job and he’d see her at her most beautiful and realize how much of a catch she was. After that, they’d go out to eat and when it got dark out, they’d take a walk in the park and if he didn’t ask her out at that point, she’d do it herself.

But that plan didn’t take into account Ren’s actual job needing him! What the hell was she supposed to do now? As she thought up a new plan, she noticed Ren staring at her from the corner of her eye.

“W-What is it?” She asked, her cheeks flushed once more.

“Your forehead. Didn’t you have a scar there?” Ren asked curiously.

“Oh.” She was half relieved and half disappointed. “It’s just makeup. They do it before every shoot. My makeup artist cried when she saw the scar from the fight with Mishima, she asked me ‘Who could ruin such a beautiful face?’ It was pretty embarrassing.”

“Well, I still think you’re beautiful. Scars and all. I mean, who am I to judge?” He said pointing to his cut eyebrow.

‘God I love this boy.’ Ann thought, staring at Ren’s genuine smile.

They arrived in Ogikubo a few minutes later, and arrived at the Velvet Room not long after that. When they walked up to the entrance, they were greeted by a small girl with platinum hair in a blue dress.

“You’re late Amamiya.” She said with her arms crossed.

“Sorry Lavenza. I promise that I’ll work extra hard tonight.” Ren replied quickly.

The way Ren spoke to her, it wasn’t like he was speaking to a child, more like he was addressing his manager.

“And who is this?” Lavenza turned her gaze to Ann, examining her up and down. The girl’s expression was sour, as if Ann had offended her in some way.

“This is Ann Takamaki. She’s a friend of mine from school. Is it okay if she comes in tonight?”

Lavenza’s scowl deepened as she turned back to Ren. “Absolutely not. We are a high class establishment. We don’t just let any riff raff through our doors just because they know someone. You’re lucky we even let you mop the floors.”

“Please Lavenza? I promise, she’s very classy and kind. She won’t be a bother to anyone.”

“I said no! And that’s fina-”

“Is that Ren Amamiya I see?” Another woman who looked similar to Lavenza popped her head out.

“Elizabeth!” Ren greeted the strange woman happily.

“And is this young lady your date? Come in, come in!” Elizabeth ushered the pair of them into the club, ignoring Lavenza’s protests.

An hour later, Ann found herself seated in a booth at the back of the club, listening to a jazz band play up on stage. This place was incredibly fancy, even by Ann’s standards, and she came from a fairly wealthy family.

“Having a good time?” Ren asked as he approached her booth, an empty drink tray tucked beneath his arm. In the dimmed lights of the club, she hadn’t even seen him approach.

“It’s great! I can’t believe you work at a place like this.” She said before realizing what that could imply. “I didn’t mean-I meant...This place is great, but you’re also great! So I’m not surprised that you work here since you’re both so...great.”

Ren laughed at that. “It’s fine. I know what you meant.” He looked down at her empty cup. “Can I refresh your drink?”

“Yes please.”

As he took her cup away, Ren caught a glance at a nearby TV playing the news. It was muted, so he had to read the subtitles, but it was the video on screen that caught his attention.

On the television, the news was reporting on an attack in Shinjuku. A bus was being held ransom by a man in a mechanical suit. Ann recognized him from the news report the other night. It was the Scorpion and he was calling for Spider-Man.

This was bad, really bad. If Ren was here then-

Ann turned to where the boy had been standing moments ago, only to find his discarded apron on the floor. “Oh Ren…” She said worriedly, turning back to the news.

“Please come back safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I've written this much, but I got really into it today. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter because I enjoyed writing it a lot. If the reason for Scorpion's betrayal wasn't clear, it was because he was sick of following Minato's orders and wanted his freedom. The story that Sho is quoting during the chapter is called 'The Frog and the Scorpion' I thought it was a thematically fitting story for the situation and a good addition to the chapter. What happens next? Find out soon!


	82. Chapter 82

[112]

To say that Kasumi Yoshizawa’s first experience riding the public bus wasn’t going well would be a vast understatement.

After a gymnastics meet ended up running long, Kasumi was forced to take the bus back home. Normally, her dad would drive her to and from her meets, but he was looking after Sumire who was at home tonight, claiming she was sick. Kasumi had her doubts though.

The bus ride hadn’t been too bad to begin with, the bus wasn’t too crowded since it was late at night, and the route home took her over Odaiba’s Rainbow Bridge, overall it could’ve been a pleasant experience. If it hadn’t been for the evil scorpion villain attacking them that is.

“SPIDER-MAN!” Scorpion yelled while dangling the bus next to the bridge’s edge. A spotlight from a news helicopter shined directly onto the villain, giving him the attention he wanted. “I KNOW YOU’RE STILL ALIVE! COME ON OUT BUG! LET’S SETTLE THIS, MAN TO MAN!”

Kasumi was frozen in terror, all she could do was desperately cling to the leather of her seat as the bus tilted further and further downwards. As her eyes darted around, she saw the bus’s other passengers in the same position, frightened and incapable of moving. If they tried to reach the door, they would undoubtedly be killed by the villain, if they tried for the emergency exits, a deadly fall into the freezing water below awaited them.

“Man to man?” A voice called from outside. “Don’t you mean Scorpion to Spider?”

“Spider-Man!” One of the passengers cheered.

“We’re saved!” Another cried.

What they didn’t expect however, was for Scorpion to release the bus, allowing it to fall from the bridge. 

Things seemed to move in slow motion for Kasumi as she began to fall. ‘Is...Is this it?’ The maroon haired girl thought, tears pooling in her eyes. ‘Am I going to die here?’ Before she knew it, events from her life began to flash through her mind, the most prominent among them involving her twin sister. ‘Sumi...I’m so sorry. I wasn’t the older sister I should’ve been. I...I never realized how much I kept you in my shadow, forcing you to be alone. I’m so so sorry Sumi.’

Back on the bridge, Ren was just as shocked as the passengers when Sho dropped them. The villain smiled as his nemesis arrived, seeing no more reason to distract himself with civilians and thus cutting them loose.

“NO!” Ren yelled as he sprinted towards Sho’s side of the bridge in an attempt to catch the falling vehicle. Just as he reached the edge, he was knocked away by Scorpion’s tail and sent flying back onto the pavement.

Sho laughed at the incapable hero as he picked himself back up. To him, there was nothing more fun than watching the hero fail to save someone and seeing them break mentally. As he watched Spider-Man stand back up to fight him, Sho couldn’t help but note that he hadn’t heard a splash yet. Surely this bridge couldn’t be that high, right?

He looked over the edge, expecting to watch the bus crash into the water, he was instead surprised to find it hanging several feet below the bridge. While at first appearing to defy gravity, Sho looked closer and saw a thin line of webbing connecting the vehicle to the bridge. Somehow, in that instant before he swatted him away, Spider-Man had managed to web the bus without Sho even realizing.

“You crafty son of a-” Sho was unable to finish his sentence as a fist collided with his face, knocking his helmet clean off and into the river below.

While Scorpion recovered from the hit, Ren set to work on pulling the passengers up. He didn’t have long, the web would hold, but not forever. If he hadn’t knocked Scorpion away in that moment, he was sure he would’ve cut the line and let them fall. As he quickly pulled the bus up, Ren heard a voice from his right.

“Y’know, when you’re in a fight to the death, you should really pay ATTENTION!” Sho yelled as his stinger flung forward.

Ren managed to dodge by a hair, but was forced to let go of the bus. The vehicle fell back down, but the webline managed to hold, though not without straining even further. Ren watched as several strands of webbing snapped, leaving the bus hanging by little more than a thread. Seeking to distract Scorpion from cutting the line, Ren decided to use the greatest weapon in his arsenal.

His mouth.

“Where’s your partner Scorpion? Did you two break up?” He asked this partially out of concern for his uncle’s safety, aaand partially out of concern that the same man was currently aiming a sniper rifle at his head.

“I’m more of a solo act. He was a bit too controlling for my taste.” Sho said as he raised his tail once more. “But that doesn’t matter, now it’s just you and me!” As he said that, the villain ran at Ren, prepared to impale him once more.

Not left with any time to interpret whether Minato was alive or not, Ren quickly evaded to the side, rolling to the ground and catching the bus’s webline just as it snapped. As he was being dragged along with it, he tried sticking to the bridge to no avail. Just as he went falling over the edge, Ren managed to grab onto the ledge, leaving him dangling over the side holding up the bus with his other hand.

As he tried to pull himself up, Ren felt a crushing pain in his hand. Standing over him was Scorpion, looking pleased with how the situation had unfolded.

“Y’know,” He began in a mocking voice. “This is usually when the villain starts going into a monologue, but if it’s all the same to you, I’m just going to stab you now.” He said, obviously not realizing the irony of that statement.

Before the stinger could reach Ren, another figure joined the fight, swooping in out of nowhere and kicking Scorpion in the chest. The villain was sent stumbling backwards and the cloaked figure turned to Ren. Much to his surprise, it was The Prowler!

“Save the civilians. I’ll handle Sho.” The former villain said, his voice still masked by a modulator. After he said this, he didn’t wait for a response, instead jumping in to battle the other villain.

Still reeling in shock, Ren complied with his uncle’s orders. He didn’t exactly trust him yet, and he definitely hadn’t forgiven for his crimes, but there wasn’t much of an option if he was going to save these people. He quickly set to work, hoisting himself back up onto the bridge and beginning to pull the bus up. As he did this, he couldn’t help but remember a few months ago when he struggled to hold onto a helicopter as it fell. Ren didn’t know what the weight comparison was between the two objects, but he’d definitely become stronger since then.

When the bus finally arrived back on the bridge, Kasumi Yoshizawa let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. That had been the most terrifying experience of her life, the constant drops, not knowing whether or not she’d be dead the next moment, it was horrifying. As she looked around at the other passengers, none seemed to be severely injured. A few were bleeding from wounds they’d gotten while tumbling around, but nothing life threatening.

As she regained her composure, she let out a shriek as the door was torn open. Suddenly, the masked figure of Spider-Man stepped onto the bus and turned to the passengers.

“Uh, sorry about the door. But look, it’s dangerous here! We need to leave, now!” 

Everyone began hurrying out of the door, filing out with Kasumi exiting last. As the rest of the passengers ran towards the police barricade, the girl turned to her masked savior. If you were to ask her what she thought of superheroes earlier today, she would’ve said that they caused more trouble than they were worth, and things would be safer without them. But right now, she couldn’t help but admire the man who’d risked his life to save her.

“You should hurry up and get to safety ma’am. I need to get back into the fight.” Spider-Man said.

Now that she was right next to him, Kasumi could see that he was breathing heavily and he was covered in gravel. Looking at his hands, she could see that his gloves were torn and his fingers were bleeding.

“You should go too.” She advised. “Just let the cops handle this.”

“I can’t. Police can’t handle those two, it's up to me to catch them...Both of them.” He looked to the two villains duking it out further down the bridge, then back to Kasumi. “I have a job to do. Go.” He nudged her in the direction of safety and walked back towards the fight.

After hesitating for a moment, Kasumi ran back to her hero and planted a kiss on the side of his face. The masked vigilante turned to her, his eye...things widening.

“For luck.” She said before turning away and running to safety, her cheeks burning red.

Ren shook his head, smiling to himself as he began to run in the opposite direction. The girl who hated his guts more than half of his own rogues gallery had just kissed him.

“If only she knew.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait for this chapter. College just started back up for me so I don't have as much free time and energy and I imagine I'll have even less when things really start up. I swear though, this is the worst time to be in college, I've gotta pay for room board and meals, not to mention parking, and I only have like one class that isn't completely online. This shit sucks. But I digress, I hope you all liked this chapter, I've been reading the comments and saw that a lot of you want Kasumi to play a bigger role and possibly join the harem. What did you guys think? If she were in it, I'd probably make her the tsundere archetype and she'd be a later addition. What will happen next? Find out...eventually, idk when I'll write the next one.


	83. Chapter 83

[113]

“Minato, you bastard.” Sho spat out as he raised his guard once more.

The man before him fought like a demon, even using his extra limb, he was still only barely holding the Prowler at bay. The way he moved was fluid, unpredictable yet calculating, and the longer they fought, the more hits kept getting through. How in the hell was he doing this with no powers?

“Give up Sho. You’re outmatched and surrounded, there’s no getting out of this.” Minato stated as he flexed his claws.

Despite the various cuts littering his body, Sho merely smirked in response. “What? You cut a deal with the cops or somethin’?”

As soon as he asked that, the pair were caught under a spotlight. The sound of a police helicopter above them rang out over the bridge.

“This is the Tokyo Police! Surrender yourselves now! Otherwise we are authorized to use lethal force!”

“Guess not.” Sho smiled as he looked back down to Minato. He then turned his gaze to his left and saw a stationary car, its owner having abandoned it in the initial attack. He opened the passenger door and with one swift strike of his tail, severed the door from the rest of the vehicle, the window shattering in the process. 

“You have three seconds to surrender yourselves or we will open fire!”

Minato stood still, watching his opponent as he readied himself. He knew that any sudden moves on his part would result in both of them being riddled with heavy machine gun fire. And while Minato’s armor was durable, it also needed to be kept light, so it certainly couldn’t stand up to that.

Across from him, Scorpion, the car door still clutched in his hand, began to wind up before releasing it like an Olympic discus. The projectile went flying through the air before crashing into the side of the chopper and sending it falling from the sky.

Minato watched the helicopter begin to lose altitude, veering out of control and descending toward the crowd that had gathered behind the police barricade.

‘Dammit!’ He thought, gritting his teeth. ‘Those people are going to die!’ He looked back at Scorpion who seemed pleased with this outcome.

“What a throw!” He cheered sadistically. “I surprise myself sometimes!”

As the helicopter neared the crowd, both of the villains were surprised when it began to slow, stopping just before it reached the crowd. The helicopter hadn’t regained control, it’s propellers had slowed too much for it to even lift itself. Rather, when they looked under the vehicle, they saw him, Spider-Man, his feet planted against the bottom of the vehicle, with two weblines on either side of him, holding the large object in place, mere feet over the crowds’ heads.

‘Ohmygodohmygodthatwaswaytooclose!’ Ren thought as he struggled to balance the chopper with his feet. Meanwhile, the injured police inside the helicopter began pulling themselves out of the vehicle, dropping into the crowd just below them.

‘Nice work kid.’ Minato smiled beneath his mask before turning back to Sho.

Clearly angered by this, Scorpion lunged at Minato and the pair resumed their battle. However, while Sho wasn’t the brightest bulb, he certainly knew how to adapt. Rather than allowing Minato to get in close where he excelled, his foe utilized his bionic tail to keep him out of arms’ reach.

Minato had learned how to fight from a young age. He’d gotten into countless fistfights growing up and it was even because of this that he’d designed his metal claws. And after decades of fighting, he’d become one of the deadliest men on Earth, able to even keep up with metahuman opponents. It wasn’t superhuman reflexes or some kind of powerful drug that made him special. It was experience.

And Scorpion was nothing he hadn’t seen before.

As the bionic tail attempted to strike Minato from above, the experienced assassin found an opening in his foe’s defense. Moving in to strike, he sent a powerful kick directly into Sho’s exposed jaw and sent the foe stumbling back. Just as he was about to move in to slit the man’s throat, he saw the tail whipping back around to slice him. Now forced to back away, Minato leapt out of the stinger’s range in the nick of time...only to be shocked when a green liquid shot out from the tail, a small amount of it splashing Minato across the chest.

‘It burns!’ He thought as he watched the front of his suit be eaten away by a powerful acid. Luckily, it seemed to stop just as it reached his skin, though it left it red and irritated. If that Sho managed to get that directly onto his skin, Minato knew he’d be done for.

“Bet you thought you’d seen all my tricks, you bastard.” Sho taunted as he rubbed his jaw before spitting out a tooth. His nose and mouth were bleeding, and yet the man still smiled that sadistic grin of his. If anything, he seemed to enjoy the pain.

“Looks like you wasted your only shot. You won’t hit me with that again.” Minato said, resuming his fighting stance, flexing his claws once more.

“I don’t doubt it. You’re one slippery son of a bitch.” As he spoke, he began to pace around Minato, the assassin making sure to stay directly across from him. “I gotta ask, what changed in you? I mean, I understand trying to take revenge on me, but helping Spider-Man? Saving his life?” Sho shrugged. “What the hell man? You suddenly grow a conscience?”

“I don’t need to tell you shit.”

Sho laughed at that. “I guess that’s true.” He turned his gaze to the environment around him, his eyes lighting up as inspiration struck him. “I got an idea. How about we kick things up a notch?”

Before Minato could figure out what he meant by that, Sho turned around and unleashed a large spray of acid onto the bridge’s cables. The acid quickly dissolved the metal cables which snapped, causing a large vibration to shake the suspension bridge.

Back with Ren, he kicked the now empty helicopter away from the crowd, everyone now safe from it. Just as the helicopter landed on the bridge, he felt the vibration across the ground and turned to the crowd who looked equally shocked.

“I swear that wasn’t me.” He said, lowering himself to the ground.

“Look!” Someone cried out while pointing.

In the distance, he was able to spot the figures of Prowler and Scorpion duking it out while several of the bridge’s suspension cables swung wildly. Seeing the destruction they were causing, Ren knew he had to act now.

He turned to the nearest police officer who looked at the scene in shock. “Evacuate the bridge, get everyone out of here as fast as you can.”

The officer, a young man looking completely out of his depth, hesitantly turned to the crowd and lifted his megaphone with shaking arms. As he hesitated to speak, the megaphone was snatched from his hands by a woman who stood in front of the crowd. The woman, without hesitating, held up the megaphone and made the announcement.

“Everyone! Evacuate the bridge! If you stay here any longer, you could be in serious danger! Mind those around you, but please get to safety as quickly as you can!” The woman announced before handing the megaphone back to the shaking officer.

With the announcement made and the crowd quickly retreating to safety, the woman turned to face Ren and he couldn’t help but feel he recognized her from somewhere...Finally, it hit him who this woman was. Yukari Takeba, the singer from the club he worked at. He had only seen her in person the one time, but her face wasn’t one you’d easily forget.

“I’ll make sure things are handled here. You go do your thing.” The celebrity smiled at him.

“You’ve got it.” Ren said before swinging into action.

[114]

Meanwhile, things had taken a turn for the worst in Minato’s fight. Scorpion was now swinging from the suspension cables, causing further damage to the bridge as he moved. Minato chased after him, using his boots’ climbing abilities to keep up.

“Still keeping up?” Sho called, shooting a spray of acid back at his pursuer. 

Minato dodged the acid, leaping to close the distance between him and Sho, only to be swatted away by the tail. Before he could fall, he dug his claws into a cable, slowing his descent to a halt. Seizing an opportunity to attack, Scorpion attempted to skewer the Prowler while he was stationary. Only to have his tail stuck to the same cable by webbing.

“I leave for 5 minutes and come back to this mess. Can’t you boys play nice?” Ren quipped as he landed next to his uncle.

“Secure the cables! I’ve got this handled!” Minato ordered.

“Yeah cuz you were doing so great before.” Ren replied sarcastically. “You know I just saved your life, right?”

“I would’ve dodged it.”

“Sure.” Ren replied, rolling his eyes under his mask. “We’ll stop him here, then secure the cables.”

“Uh, excuse me!” Sho intruded. “We’re in the middle of a fight you ass! Unstick me so I can kick both of your asses!”

“Real tempting offer, here’s my counter.” Ren said before shooting a webline at the villain’s mouth, trying to shut him up.

It didn’t go as planned however, Scorpion intercepted the web with his arm and used it to pull him in. Ren was too slow to react and was punched directly in the face, sending him falling onto the street below.

“REN!” Minato cried as he leapt down after his nephew.

For a moment, Ren was in a daze after the punch, he didn’t even realize he was falling until he was halfway to the ground. He wasn’t able to fire a webline off in time, so all he could do was brace himself for impact. He slammed against the roof of a car, caving it in and shattering the windshield, luckily it was empty. With the wind knocked out of him and undoubtedly suffering from a few cracked ribs, he took a moment before standing up.

Before he knew it, he was being helped off of the crushed vehicle by a blurry figure. When Ren’s vision corrected itself, he was able to make the figure out as Prowler, his uncle.

“Wait a minute…” Ren said as he stood up, looking at the figure. “Did-Did you call me-”

“Ren.” Prowler interrupted. “I know it’s you under that mask. I know who you are because I’m-”

“Uncle Minato, yeah. I know your secret too.” He said, before his uncle could ask how, he decided to explain. “A friend in the police helped me.”

“I’m...sorry that you had to find out about this part of my life. I should’ve told you, I’m not a good person Ren.” He placed his hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “I kill people for money...And I was hired to kill you.”

Ren shrugged the hand away, stepping back from his uncle. “And what do you plan to do now?”

“Stopping Scorpion. Hopefully with your help.”

“And after that?” Ren asked, raising an eyebrow.

“...”

“...”

“I’m not going back to prison Ren.”

“Wha-”

“You don’t know what it’s like in there. Constantly alone in a concrete cube, watching as your life ticks away. I won’t go back.” Minato said, his voice dead serious.

Ren didn’t know what he expected. Maybe that his uncle would turn over a new leaf and serve out his sentence, the right way. But it’s like he said, he wasn’t a good guy. He’d killed before and would likely kill again, so long as he got paid.

“We’ll table this discussion for later.” Ren said, turning his attention back to Scorpion, who’d just freed himself. “For right now let’s just stop this maniac before he causes any more damage.”

“On that, we agree.” Minato said, flexing his claws.

It was then that a loud creaking noise rang across the bridge. The sound of steel buckling under enormous strain as it slowly began to break apart. One too many support cables had been cut and from the sounds of it, the strain the others were under would soon cause them to snap as well.

Suddenly, the creaking noise came to a stop and no one moved. For a moment, the bridge was utterly and completely silent. And then…

It began to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had more inspiration to work on this chapter than I thought I would, so here it is. I really want to get through this arc before I take a break, so I'll try to finish it this weekend. I can't really speak for how busy I'll be in the near future, but just know that I'm committed to finishing this story. Let me know what you guys think, reading comments is what drives me to write more and I really enjoy all the feedback you guys give.


	84. Chapter 84

[115]

“ALRIGHT!” Sho cheered as he watched the bridge collapse, stepping onto the bridge mere feet away from his opponents. “Now it’s starting to look like a real party!”

“Are you fucking crazy!?” Minato yelled at the villain. “You’ll kill us all!”

“You think I care!? I just want some goddamn excitement! I don’t give a shit whether or not I walk away!” Sho smiled, blood still spilling from his mouth.

Seeing that reasoning was pointless, Minato ran in with his claws at the ready, tackling Scorpion to the ground. As he attempted to slash Sho’s throat, his claw was stopped by a webline courtesy of Ren. Spotting an opening in Minato’s defense, Sho spat blood into his attacker’s face and launched him away with his tail.

Flipping through the air and landing on his feet, Minato came to a screeching halt using his claws. He turned to his nephew, clearly pissed off.

“What the hell!?”

“We won’t kill him. If you can’t respect that rule, you can forget about us working together.” Ren stated, unphased by his uncle’s anger.

“Don’t be an idiot! In a fight to the death, you hesitate, you die.”

“I don’t care. Nobody’s dying on my watch.”

Minato rolled his eyes and put his head in his hand. “Am I the only sane person here?”

Without waiting for his uncle’s support, Ren ran in to fight Scorpion, avoiding a blow from his tail and moving in for a kick to his face. However, after being kicked in the face one too many a time, Sho was ready. Catching the kick midair, he used Ren’s momentum against him and slammed him into the side of a nearby car.

As his nephew distracted Scorpion, Minato took advantage of the situation, running in to stab Sho's legs. The cuts were enough to bring him down to one knee, releasing Ren and turning his focus towards Minato instead. He swiped his tail at the man, only for him to dodge to and lodge his claws into Sho’s ribcage.

Sho would have died then and there if Prowler had gotten off his next attack. Luckily for him, the ground they were standing on fell apart beneath them, causing Minato to release his grip in order to reach safety. Grabbing Spider-Man along the way, he quickly hurried to escape the collapsing bridge.

“Hey, get up! We won’t make it if I have to drag your ass across this whole damn bridge.”

“I’m good. *huff* I’m good.” Ren said, getting onto his feet and running alongside his uncle. “Where’s Scorpion?”

“Right behind us. Don’t waste your breath worrying about him. Now run!” Minato ordered as the two of them sprinted across the bridge, trying desperately to outrun the collapse.

As they wove through cars, buses, and other vehicles Ren by his spider sense going off, he quickly dodged to the side just in time to see another glob of acid fly past his head, melting the taxi directly to his left. He spun around and spotted Scorpion less than 20 feet away, running on all fours like a wild animal.

“DON’T IGNORE ME YOU BASTARDS! WE AREN’T DONE YET!” He cried. Even with the ground a foot behind him falling into the water, he looked as though he couldn’t care less, only running because he was chasing after them.

“Is he serious!? Does he even realize what’s going on!?” Ren called to his uncle.

“Forget about him. We’ve still got a long way to go.” Minato replied, sliding over the hood of a car. They continued to run, the falling bridge and madman who caused it, gaining on them in the meantime.

As he ran, Ren spotted something out of the ordinary sitting in the middle of the road. A pet carrier, one that must’ve been left behind in the panic, and judging by the sounds of distress coming from within it, the pet was still inside. Without a second thought, he shot out a webline and pulled the carrier into his arms. The animal inside this thing, clearly didn’t appreciate that as it started to angrily hiss at him.

“Did you *huff* seriously just stop to save a cat?” Minato asked, panting as he ran up beside him.

“I told you. Nobody dies on my watch.” Ren replied as the cat tried reaching out of its crate to scratch him.

The end of the bridge was approaching quickly, and not a moment too soon as the two of them were quickly becoming exhausted. However, their worries weren’t over as they sood found the concrete beneath them cracking apart as well. Just before they could reach the edge, the bridge fell apart under their feet, causing the two of them to plummet towards the icy water below.

Thinking quickly, Ren shot a webline to safety, leaving him dangling above the water. Minato grabbed a hold of the line as well, saving them both from the perilous fall. It seemed as though Scorpion hadn’t been so lucky, disappearing from view with the rest of the bridge. With the cat crate in one hand, Ren and his uncle began to ascend the line up to safety.

“Holy shit.” Ren breathed out as he reached the top, lying on the concrete. “That was way too close.”

The area next to where the Rainbow Bridge had been minutes earlier was clear of any civilians, presumably having been evacuated for their safety. This left the two costumed men and cat alone to talk safely. Now that they were on solid ground, Ren felt it would be okay to release the creature, finding it to be a tuxedo cat with bright blue eyes and a yellow collar that read ‘Maurice’ on it.

“Would’ve been less close if you had let me do what needed to be done.” Minato scoffed, removing his claws before crossing his arms disapprovingly.

“Hey!” Ren stood up angrily, removing his mask. “I know you think your way is better Uncle Minato, but Spider-Man doesn’t kill people. I accepted that rule when I first put on the suit.”

“Yeah?” Minato replied, pulling off his own mask. “Look where that got your predecessor. I won’t let you throw your life away over some dumb ideology!”

“You’re lecturing me about throwing my life away? The man who spent the past 3 years in a maximum security prison?”

“Ren,” Minato sighed holding the bridge of his nose. “My life is complicated. I only do what I do because I have to. I wouldn’t expect a child to understand.”

“A child? I’m seventeen Uncle Minato! Oh wait, you missed my past 3 birthdays because you were in prison for murder! I’ve done a lot of growing up in the time you’ve been gone. I got arrested, I went to juvie, my parents won’t even speak to me anymore! I went through hell! And now I have so much goddamn responsibility that I can’t even begin to fix all the shit that’s wrong in my life!”

“Then stop.” Minato stated simply. “Stop being Spider-Man. Stop risking your life for people you don’t even know. Stop torturing yourself serving the needs of others and focus on you, what you want.”

“Is that what you did when you started making a living by killing others?” Ren asked, unable to look his uncle in the eyes.

“Ren…” Minato took a seat against a street divider. “I started doing this because of the needs of others. When your dad and I were kids, our mom and dad died in a car crash, and only I was left to look after my little brother. I had to do everything I could to protect him and provide for us both, even joining a gang. That’s when I started killing for a living. And all of that sent me spiraling down the path that led here.”

“Uncle Minato…” Ren was shocked. His dad had never told him any of this. Looking back, it must’ve been for this reason that his parents tried to keep Minato away from him for so long. “That still doesn’t excuse the killing. You could’ve stopped when you got out, you could’ve changed but you didn’t. You tried to kill Scorpion, hell, you tried to kill me!”

“Only because I had to. And had I known it was you under the mask at the time, I would’ve stopped immediately.”

“Oh that makes me feel so much better. That I’m the one exception to your rule. Why do this anyway? You got out of prison. Why not just pursue a normal job?”

“It isn’t that simple. The people who hired me, they’re powerful. There isn’t an inch of this city that they don’t control. If I’d tried to escape, I wouldn’t have made it out of Tokyo. We’re lucky they haven’t figured out who you are yet.”

“How do we know they haven’t already?”

“Because your head is still attached to your shoulders and not on Kingpin’s mantle.”

“Wait, you work for Kingpin!?”

“Not willingly. I’m not surprised you’ve heard of him though. Practically every criminal in the city is under his thumb, but I suspect there’s someone even higher up, pulling the strings from behind the scenes. I wouldn’t have gotten out of Ryker’s as easily as I did if there wasn’t.”

“...”

“...”

“So what do we do now? You’re a criminal and I catch criminals. You don’t want to go back, but I can’t let you go free. Are we going to have to fight?”

“Maybe tomorrow. For now, I’m tired. Why don’t we just sit for a while?” He replied, turning his gaze towards the sky.

Suddenly, the exhaustion in Ren’s body really began to set in and the pain from all of his earlier actions began to set in. “Alright. I guess we can do that.” He replied, taking a seat next to his uncle. Surprisingly enough, Maurice the cat even decided to curl up in Ren’s lap, apparently forgetting it’s earlier malice towards him.

The three of them sat for what felt like ages, peacefully staring at the night sky. The moment would’ve gone on for longer, if it weren’t for Maurice suddenly beginning to hiss again.

“What is it boy? Something wrong?” Ren asked.

Suddenly, Ren felt his spider sense go off, warning of danger directly behind him. He leapt to the side, (inadvertently tossing the cat) but wasn’t fast enough as he felt Scorpion’s stinger pierce his side. Had he moved a moment later, Ren was sure it would’ve gone directly through his chest.

“Ah!” He cried as he fell to the ground, clutching at the new hole in his side.

“Sho!” Minato said angrily, turning towards their attacker.

Sure enough, there stood Sho Minazuki. Bloody, soaking wet, clutching one of his arms, and his suit looking much worse for wear. Somehow, he must’ve survived the fall, swam through freezing water in full armor, and carried himself up the cliffside. It seemed as though it was genuinely impossible for this man to die.

As Minato leapt at the man, unarmed yet undeterred, only to be swatted to the side by the large tail.

“Huh, so that’s what you looked like under the mask.” Sho said, smiling at Ren as his tail readied itself to strike, sparks coming out of it from exposed wiring. “I gotta say, I wasn’t expecting a kid. But you’ll hardly be the first one I’ve killed.”

Ren, injured and drained from earlier, was helpless to stop the man as he lay on the ground, defenseless. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for the end.

Only to be surprised when he felt something wet drip onto his face. Opening his eyes, he found a pair of dark blue eyes looking back at him. It was his uncle’s eyes, and the wetness was from the blood dripping from the man’s mouth. Turning his head downwards, Ren was shocked to see Scorpion’s stinger sticking directly out of Minato’s chest, coated in his blood. His uncle had shielded him from the blow with his own body.

“...No. NonononoNO!” Ren shouted as the man was quickly tossed aside by Scorpion.

“Dammit! The slippery bastard got right past me!” Sho said, trying to shake Minato free of his tail. Finally succeeding, he turned back to face Ren, only to be hit directly in the face with an electrically charged fist. He fell onto his back, only to be pinned by Ren as he continued to beat on him.

“BASTARD!” Ren said, tears in his eyes as he wailed on the downed man with consecutive venom punches. “YOU BASTARD! YOU GODDAMN BASTARD!” His exhaustion and wounds forgotten, all that mattered to him was hitting this man.

During his barrage, Scorpion’s tail attempted to stab Ren in the back, but sensing it coming, the boy caught it before tearing it clean off of the suit and tossing it aside. He continued to pummel Sho’s face until it was a swelled up bloody mess with teeth scattered on the ground around it.

He was still alive however, the heaving of his chest confirmed that. Though he was undoubtedly unconscious and in desperate need of medical attention. Ren didn’t care about that at the moment though. Instead, he turned his attention to his uncle’s dying body a few feet away.

“Uncle Minato! Uncle Minato! C’mon, please tell me you’re alive!”

“Hey *cough* *cough* kiddo. Glad to see you’re alright.” Minato said, a smile gracing his bloody lips.

“I’m fine Uncle Minato. I’m fine because of you.” Ren said with tears pouring out of his eyes. “C’mon, we need to get you to a hospital.” He tried lifting the man, only to feel resistance.

“No,” He replied with a ragged breath. “I think I’ll just stay here and watch the night sky a bit more.”

“Uncle Minato you’re bleeding! We need to get you out of here! Please!” Ren pleaded with him, while his voice began to break. “I don’t care if you go to jail anymore, just please come with me!”

“Hey Ren…Do you remember that conversation we had when you were eight? It’s okay if you don’t, you were pretty young…” His eyes became glossy as he spoke.

Ren sniffled and wiped the tears from his eyes. “Yeah, on the stairs right? What about it?”

“I just wanted to say that I’m proud of you. You found something to fight for *wheeze* and you’re doing it for the right reasons too. I only tried to stop you because I was scared for you. But honestly *cough* I was still thinking of you as a kid when really *wheeze* you’ve grown into a fine young man. One your parents should be proud of.”

“Thanks Uncle Minato.” Ren replied, holding the man’s hand as he lay dying.

“But you should remember, it’s okay to be selfish sometimes, you’re human too. You’ve already found something to fight for, *wheeze* but maybe you should take the time to live in the world that you’re trying to protect. That’s something *wheeze* I could never do.”

“I will.” Ren said, crying as he held the man’s hand.

As Minato began to shut his eyes, he muttered out his last few words.

“It really is a beautiful night. I can’t wait to see what the morning brings.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn this chapter was hard to write! I hope you guys appreciate me using up my whole Saturday for this! (I'm only kidding, I literally have nothing better to do.) With this chapter, what I've decided to call the Bounty Arc comes to a close. It feels to me like this arc has been going on forever, but I'm not sure how it feels from an outside perspective. I hope I've been keeping you all entertained, from the comments I've read, it seems like it has. Honestly, I'm excited to start work on the next arc, but I'll probably sandwich a few chapters in between just as a buffer for the next arc, but I'll leave you with a hint. The Halloween dance is going to have an unexpected guest who crashes the party. That's all for now! P.S. Bonus points if you can guess why I named the cat Maurice.


	85. Chapter 85

[116]

Rain was pouring onto the ground in the dark alleyway, the only illumination coming from the lightning that would flash every few moments. Makoto Niijima couldn’t remember why she was here to begin with, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. Several large men dressed in dark clothing began to surround her from all sides and fear began to plague her mind.

However, when the first goon attempted to reach out for her, Makoto’s fighting instincts kicked in. Without another thought, she punched her assailant in the throat before kneeing him in the stomach. The next tried grabbing her from behind, only for Makoto to flip him over her shoulder and onto the wet pavement with a splash. The third attacker charged at her with a knife, but Makoto reacted quickly, grabbing him by the wrist she forced the man to drop his weapon then onto his knees. A punch to the nose laid him down for the count, leaving only a single mugger left.

The final mugger stared her down, keeping his distance after realizing her skills. Makoto readied herself with a fighting stance, prepared for whatever the man tried. However, she wasn’t prepared when the man pulled a gun from his side, aiming the barrel directly at her, he prepared to fire and Makoto closed her eyes in fear.

But no gunshot ever sounded. When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to find that the man with the gun was gone. Before she could wonder where he’d gone, a large object fell into view. Struggling while dangling by a string, it was the armed assailant, captured in a web.

“You have a knack for getting in trouble.” A voice called from behind Makoto.

She whirled around only to come face to face with Ren in his Spider-Man suit. Dangling from a nearby building, he was completely upside down with his face level with her’s.

“You have a knack for saving my life. Do I have a superhero stalker?” She asked playfully.

“I was in the neighborhood.” Ren shrugged, brushing off the question. “Seems like you had things handled for the most part though.” He looked over at the other unconscious attackers.

“But still, who knows what could’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up.” She looked at the dangling robber. “You know, you really are amazing.” She smiled looking back at Ren.

“Some people don’t think so.”

“But you are.” She reassured him. Suddenly an idea struck her. “How about I show you my thanks?”

Ren tilted his head, clearly confused. But when Makoto began to pull down his mask, he seemed to get the idea. Leaning forward to meet her lips, Makoto could feel his soft breath on her lips. The two were about to connect when-

*TAP* *TAP* *TAP*

“Huh?” Makoto opened her eyes once more and rather than finding her masked savior, she was instead met with the face of Buchimaru-kun, her stuffed panda.

“Dammit.” She muttered softly, before closing her eyes in hopes of continuing her dream.

*TAP* *TAP* *TAP*

There it was again. The noise that pulled her out of her sleep. What was making that sound? Rubbing her eyes before checking her clock, she saw that it read 1:30am. Not a great time to wake up on a school day.

*TAP* *TAP* *TAP*

Frustrated now, she got out of her bed to check her window. It was probably a bird or small animal trying to enter from the fire escape. One that she would have to shoo away if she had any chance of getting any more rest before school began. Pulling open her window without even looking, she was shocked when a human body fell into her room.

“AH!” She let out a scream, quickly backing away from the figure.

As the body rolled onto its back and faced her, Makoto saw that she recognized the face (dirty as it was) to be Ren’s, and while limp, the groaning sound he made revealed that he was clearly still alive.

“Makoto…” He managed to weakly get out, his eyes barely open. When he moved his hand, a gaping wound became clearly visible in his side.

“Oh my god. Ren!” She said quietly, bending down to inspect his condition.

Suddenly, quick footsteps could be heard from out in the hall heading towards Makoto’s room. Thinking quickly, she pushed Ren’s limp body the only place she could think of, under her bed. Groaning in protest, he became quiet when she finally got him underneath the queen-sized bed. And not a moment too soon as two silver haired figures burst into her room, one wielding a walking cane as a weapon, and the other holding a pistol.

“Makoto! What’s wrong!? We heard you scream!” Akihiko Niijima asked his daughter while searching the room for intruders, cane in hand, ready to be used as a bat.

“It’s nothing Dad! I just saw a spider is all.” She quickly dismissed their worries.

“Since when are you afraid of spiders?” Her sister Sae asked, lowering her firearm.

“Uhh, this one was really big. Like, crazy big.” She said, gesturing with her hands.

“Why’s your window open?” Akihiko asked, gesturing towards said window.

“Oh...I let the spider out that way. I didn’t want to kill it, they do a lot of good afterall.” She said, promptly shutting the window.

“Even so, if I saw one, I’d kill it without a second thought.” Sae replied.

“Noted.” Makoto gave a fake grin as she broke out into a cold sweat. “Okay well, everything’s fine in here, no other spiders in here! Going back to bed now. Goodnight!” She said, quickly ushering them out of her room.

When she was sure that they were gone, Makoto turned back to her bed and pulled the injured Ren out from under it.

“Ren, what happened to you? Why are you here?”

“Your place...was closest.” He breathed out. “Need...help.”

“I think I have a first aid kit in here, but you need to go to a hospital.” She said before getting up and searching her desk for the kit. Finally finding it, she rushed back to the boy’s side and inspected his wound. It was bad, luckily his advanced healing had already stopped the bleeding, but if it wasn’t cleaned and bandaged, it would definitely become infected soon.

“I’ll...be fine. Just need...bandages.” 

Makoto rolled her eyes before getting up to grab a glass of water off of her nightstand. “Here, drink this.” She handed him the glass which he drank greedily as Makoto got to work. First applying alcohol to the wound, she was surprised when Ren flinched in pain as she made contact. “Aren’t you used to this sort of thing by now?” She asked.

“I’m usually unconscious for this part.” He replied, now having caught his breath.

“How did this happen anyway? Who did this to you?”

“Scorpion.” Ren replied, a grim look appearing on his face. “He...He killed my uncle.”

“Ren…” Makoto stopped what she was doing and looked at Ren who had tears in the corner of his eyes. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” She placed her hand on his shoulder consolingly. While she didn’t understand the context, it was obvious that Ren was hurting more than just physically.

They didn’t speak on the topic further, allowing Makoto to quickly finish patching Ren up. When she finally placed the bandage on his side, she let out a sigh and sat on her carpet, her lack of sleep finally catching up with her. When she saw Ren resting his head against her bed frame, Makoto decided to take a page from her earlier dream and take a seat at his side, even if it made her cheeks red and her heart race.

If her face wasn’t red enough already, it was set ablaze when Ren’s head fell onto her shoulder. The two sat like that for a solid minute before Makoto finally worked up the courage to turn towards Ren. Finding his eyes closed, Makoto relaxed slightly, glad that he wouldn’t see her this flustered.

“Hey Makoto?” He finally spoke up, revealing that he was still awake.

“Y-Yes?” She responded, her voice cracking.

“I don’t think I can make it home. Can I stay here tonight?”

“Okay.” She replied a little too quickly before realizing what she’d just agreed to.

“Wait...WHAT?”

[Bonus]

“Damn, these two messed each other up pretty bad.” One of the paramedics commented as he looked at the two costumed men lying on the ground.

“That or Spider-Man did this to’em both.” The other paramedic commented, leaning down to check Scorpion for a pulse.

“Spider-Man doesn’t kill people, everybody knows that.”

“Maybe the old one. But with this new one, who knows? You should listen to Tora Yoshida’s radio station, he’s got some pretty valid points.” As he was speaking, he was surprised when the man on the ground let out a loud gasp and sat up before immediately losing consciousness again.

“Holy shit! This guy’s still alive! We need to get him to a hospital, stat!” The two of them loaded the man onto a stretcher and got him into the ambulance. “Thank god for that anonymous tip, otherwise we might’ve been too late!”

As the ambulance sped off to the hospital, the last thing the two paramedics were expecting was to have an 8 foot, half ton man dressed as a rhinoceros T-bone their car, but life is funny like that. The vehicle came to a screeching halt as it moved several yards perpendicular to the direction it had been going a second earlier. In the aftermath, the cabin containing the patient had been folded into a V shape by the large assailant.

After being rudely awakened from his near comatose state, Sho Minazuki sat up from his gurney, groaning in pain. He wouldn’t have much time to contemplate what had just happened as the ambulance doors were quickly torn off of their hinges and thrown into the street.

“Wakey wakey Scorpion. You may rest when job is over.” A deep, heavily accented voice called to Sho.

“Thuddup Tsuda.” Sho replied, nursing his head. “My head hurth like motherfucker. Feelth like a hangover gave me a concuthion.”

“Haha! Your voice. It is sounding funny.”

“My fron theeth got knocked out you athhole.” Sho replied angrily. “Why are you even here?”

“Haven’t you heard?” Rhino smiled sadistically.

“We are getting band back together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, what could I possibly be hinting towards with that ending? I think we all know, but that won't be happening for a while. I had a lot of fun writing the humor in this chapter and I hope that shows. The callback to the original Spider-Man movie's upside down kiss was something I came up with on the spot, I hope you enjoyed that even if it might've been confusing at first. If you're curious who Tsuda is, Akimitsu Tsuda is one of the Mementos targets from P5 who I decided to make the Rhino since I ran out of main villains from P5. As for the whole Russian accent thing, I'm going to be writing his dialogue as if he did have one (even if it doesn't necessarily make sense) because to me, Rhino should always be Russian, it's like his main character trait aside from being a brute, so he'll be speaking like that. That's about all I have to say for now, see you next time!


	86. Chapter 86

[117]

“C’mon Ryuji! You can do this!” Ryuji Sakamato pepped himself before shutting his locker. “Just. Don’t. Be. A. Coward!” He slammed his head into the door repeatedly.

“Um, Ryuji?” Ann Takamaki asked, concerned for her friend. “You okay there?”

“Ann!” He turned to his friend, embarrassed. “Uh, yeah I’m fine. How are you?”

“Good. You wanna tell me what your locker did to make you so mad at it?” She eyed the dented metal door.

“Um, well y’see…” He scratched his neck, unsure of where to begin. “Y’know that girl in our grade, Hifumi Togo?”

“Kinda. Is she the one with that red ribbon in her hair? What about her?”

“Well I...I want to ask her to the dance, but I’m not sure if she’ll say yes. I mean, we’ve only hung out like three times...We don’t know each other very well...Oh who am I kidding, this is a horrible idea!” He slammed his head into his locker once more with a look of despair.

“Wow, I never thought I’d see the day.” Ann said, chuckling to herself.

“See what day?” Ryuji asked, turning his eyes towards her.

“Ryuji Sakamato is overthinking the situation. If you like this girl, just ask her out! The worst she can do is say no. And as for not knowing each other, there’s no better time to learn about one another than on a date.”

“For real?” Ryuji asked, lifting his head. “It’s that simple?”

“It is if you make it that simple.” Ann replied.

“Okay! Here we go! I’m gonna ask her out today in class!” He said, his usual energy returning to him.

“Attaboy!” Ann patted her fellow blond on the back.

“By the way, how are things going on the Ren front? Are you guys going to-”

“Don’t.” Ann stopped him, suddenly in a worse mood. “We don’t need to talk about that right now.”

“Oh? I thought you said it was simple. Maybe you should take your own advice and-”

“I will punch you.” She threatened.

“Look, all I’m saying is, quite a few girls seem interested. If you don’t hurry then someone might-OOF!” Ryuji was stopped as a fist connected with his gut.

“I warned you.”

“Hey kids, try to refrain from fighting in the halls.” A voice chided the two of them.

Turning toward the voice, the two teens were surprised to see a familiar man in a lab coat, finally back from his sudden and unannounced hiatus.

“Dr. Maruki!” The blondes exclaimed, excited to see him back. 

Maruki was well known in the school for being the cool teacher, handing out snacks and playing movies during class. Everyone enjoyed his cool demeanor and the fact that he went out of his way to help students who struggled in his class.

“Glad to finally have you back.” Ann said, smiling.

“Glad to finally be back.” He replied back, taking a sip from his juice box. “You two should hurry on to class now, and Takamaki...try not to hit Sakamoto too hard in the future.”

“Yes sir.” Ann replied.

As the man walked off to his classroom, Ryuji couldn’t help but feel something was off.

“Hey Ann,” He turned to her questioningly. “Did Dr. Maruki seem...different to you?”

“Different how?”

“I don’t know, just different!” Ryuji exclaimed, frustrated.

“Seemed pretty ordinary to me, but then again I don’t know him too well. I’m not in his class afterall.” Ann stated before turning back to face Ryuji. “Hey, weren’t you going to go ask Hifumi out? Don’t try to change the subject! If you don’t ask her out by the end of the day, I’ll punch you in the gut again!”

“Please don’t.” Ryuji replied, covering his now aching stomach.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the nurse’s office, Tae Takemi sat behind her desk, waiting for a certain young man to enter her office. She’d received the text early this morning, Ren had been injured by a villain last night just after the Rainbow Bridge fell. Honestly, how much trouble could one boy get into?

Luckily, he’d already been treated last night, though he spared her the details of where and from who, much to her annoyance, so he wasn’t in any immediate danger. As the doctor sat, waiting for her patient to arrive, she tapped her fingernails against the desk impatiently. Checking the clock revealed that classes would be starting within the hour, so if Ren didn’t want to skip, he’d need to hurry his ass up.

Being a school nurse felt odd for Takemi, back when she ran her own clinic, she never used to have this much free time, it honestly drove her crazy. There were a few upsides too however, it allowed her to see her favorite patient more often, though she had to be careful when operating on him as his usual state of undress when she’d operate on him was frowned upon by the school.

Another upside was the new roommate this job had brought her, while at first Tae had worried that her small apartment would be too cramped for the young girl to live there with her (especially considering the size of her previous residence) but things were going surprisingly well between them. Haru Okumura was quite possibly the sweetest girl in the world, always trying her best to not be a burden and going out of her way to present Tae with expensive gifts she wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.

The final upside to this new job was that all of this free time allowed Tae to work on her main focus at the moment. The doctor opened her desk drawer to examine the small vial containing a bright pink liquid. This vial was the key to the future of medicine, made from blood extracted from Ren while he was still undergoing his mutation, this single vial could eventually be used to create a medicine strong enough to allow someone to heal from wounds the same way Ren did. Though in its current state, it was anyone’s guess as to what it would do if injected into the bloodstream. Tae had her theories, but no solid proof to go off of.

“Takemi?” A voice called as her office door cracked open revealing the boy she’d been waiting for.

“Cutting it a little close aren’t we?” Tae responded, quickly placing the vial back in her desk.

“You know me. I like to live on the edge.” Ren replied though his humor seemed somewhat forced. Before Takemi could ask what was wrong, he was already removing his shirt.

“Oh my, how forward of you.”

“I know the drill by now. Can we hurry? I really do need to get to class.” Ren asked impatiently.

“Sure, take all the fun out of it, why don’t you?” The doctor sighed before taking her seat next to him and beginning her inspection.

Ren’s morning was pretty normal from that point on, up until the end of homeroom that is. When Ms. Kawakami called on Ren to stay after class, he found it to be pretty strange. He didn’t remember doing anything particularly bad, though she may have noticed his attention was somewhat lacking during the lesson. His mind was still plagued by thoughts of last night's events, what he could’ve done differently. If he’d been slightly quicker, maybe his uncle would still be alive.

“-amiya? Amamiya? Hello?” Kawakami’s voice asked, annoyed.

It took a moment for Ren to register that his teacher was trying to ask him something.

“Sorry Ms. Kawakami, I know I’m a little distracted. There’s just been...alot going on lately.”

“Tell me about it. Did you hear about the Rainbow Bridge collapsing last night?” Kawakami asked before shaking her head. “That’s not the reason I asked you to stay after. There’s um, something I need to ask you.” Her cheeks became pink as she averted her gaze.

“Oh? What’s going on?” Ren said, intrigued.

“D-Do you still have that flyer? The one for the…” She turned to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “Maid service?” She whispered.

“Um no?” Ren raised an eyebrow. This conversation had taken a weird turn.

Kawakami rolled her eyes before reaching into her purse and pulling out a pink slip of paper and handing it to him discreetly. Ren recognized the slip from a few months ago, advertising Victoria’s Maid Service. Honestly, the events from that night had been so long ago by now, Ren had nearly forgotten they’d happened to begin with.

“I need you to call that number and ask for Becky.”

“Why-”

“Ssh!” Kawakami held a finger to her lips. “No questions. Just...Look, do this for me and I’ll make sure that no one finds out about your little secret.”

“My...My secret?” Ren said, his heart suddenly racing.

“Surprised? That’s right, I’ve got connections so I know things. And if you don’t want it to get out, you’ll call that number at 8:00pm tonight, got it?” Kawakami felt bad about blackmailing one of her students, but she was desperate.

“Y-Yeah. Got it.” Ren replied, taking the flyer and putting it into his bag before exiting the classroom.

‘How does she know? Did I slip up? Did someone else who knows say something by accident?’ Ren pondered the thought for a moment. ‘Goddammit Ryuji!’

Now wondering how he would reprimand his friend, Ren didn’t even notice the person directly in front of him until he bumped straight into him. The figure turned towards him and Ren cursed himself for being so distracted today, as he was about to apologize, he got a look at the man’s face and recognized him instantly.

“Dr. Maruki? You’re back!” Ren said with a smile, glad to finally be receiving some good news.

“Ren! Good to see you again.” Maruki stuck out his right hand to shake which Ren gladly accepted...Before finally realizing what was wrong with that.

“Wh-Dr. Maruki! Your arm!”

“Oh?” Maruki looked down at the arm. “Something wrong?”

“You’ve got two of them!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late chapter, I have a computer lab that goes from 6 to 8 at night, so I had to rush to get this out. To preemptively answer any questions you may have (I brought up a lot of stuff in this chapter that I established a while ago, so you may have forgotten) Dr. Maruki only had one arm at the beginning of the story, but now that he's back he's got two. Whatever could I possibly be alluding to? Ren knows that Kawakami is a maid already, he called her while he was staying at Naoto's. A bit of a hint, the secret she's talking about may not be what you think. Also something I felt I should tell you guys, I started another story! If anyone here is a My Hero Academia fan, you should give it a read. It's only one chapter as of posting this, but I'm curious to hear feedback on the concept. That's it for now, until next time!


	87. Chapter 87

[118]

Futaba sat in her room with her feet up on her desk, doing what she usually did around this time of night. Eating instant yakisoba while gaming in three different windows simultaneously and listening to music or podcasts, these sessions usually lasted from around 7pm to 3am the next day. Sure it might’ve been an unhealthy lifestyle, but she was on this earth for a good time, not a long time.

After winning her 8th consecutive chess match in a row, Futaba noticed a strange voice on her headphones interrupting her music. Closing out of her tabs, she finally found the source of the voice. It was coming off of the live feed from Ren’s bedroom from the camera she’d installed while Ren was on his school trip.

The camera was, of course, strictly there for security reasons. Afterall, what if someone tried to break in? She definitely did not have a folder full of videos of Ren coming back from the bathhouse and/or changing into or out of his clothes. That was something that creepy stalkers did, she wasn’t a creepy stalker, she was the cute little sister type!

Was Ren aware of this camera? No. Should he be? ...That really wasn’t what was important right now.

What was important right now was the grown woman in the French maid outfit who just entered Ren’s room with him.

“Ren you dog! I never suspected you to be that type of guy.” She said to herself, casually pressing the record button. For...research purposes.

“So this is where you actually live huh?” Kawakami asked, sitting on the bed and looking around the room that Ren called home. “Gotta say, for an attic it’s actually pretty nice.”

“Thanks, now can we get to the actual reason that you’re here?” Ren asked impatiently. A lot had happened today and he honestly just wanted the day to end already.

Kawakami looked away shamefully. “I...I need cash. I’m behind on some payments so I was hoping-”

“Wait. Are you, a teacher, seriously blackmailing one of your students!?”

“No!” Kawakami yelled before looking down and poking her fingers together. “I wanted to maybe...work out a deal with you? Look, how about I give you an A on your next 3 homework assignments if you keep calling me over?”

“Wow.” Ren crossed his arms.

Meanwhile, watching with interest from her room, Futaba continued to snack on her yakisoba. “This is some pretty weird foreplay.” She commented before slurping up more of the noodles.

“Please!” Kawakami pleaded, getting on her knees. Ren turned away with flushed cheeks, embarrassed by their current positions. “You’re the only one I can turn to who knows about this side job! I promise I won’t tell a soul about you and nurse Takemi, I just need the extra cash before the end of the month!”

“Me and nurse-Huh?” Ren turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. “What about us?”

“Huh?” She looked up, confused. “Aren’t the two of you...y’know?” She made a certain gesture with her hands.

“What!? No! Why would you think that? Is that what people are saying about us?”

Now embarrassed even more, Kawakami stood up and looked away. “Well...I’ve heard some rumors about the two of you being seen together...and you had your shirt off. Not to mention, that time I came over to clean, I asked a resident about the apartment’s owner and they said it was a woman with short blue hair. Sound familiar?”

Ren rubbed his temples, annoyed. “Oh my God! Are you serious!? That’s not who...I can’t believe this.”

“Wait, was I wrong?” Kawakami’s eyes widened. Somewhere, deep down, the teacher was relieved by this fact. But not for the reason a teacher should have been. “Um, we can still make a deal! How about the next 5 assignments are all A’s?” She desperately tried to make a deal.

“Here.” He said, handing her 20,000 yen. It was nearly all of the money he had at the moment, but the woman in front of him clearly needed it more. “I don’t know who or what this is for, but take it.”

“You...You’re just going to give this to me?” Kawakami was stunned. “But...why?”

“It seems like the right thing to do.” Ren replied, placing the cash into her hands. “You’ve helped me out before, so I figure I owe you.”

While that may have been true, Kawakami distinctly remembered getting paid for that job, not to mention the meal he’d cooked for her as well. This boy...he made no sense to her. Why was he so nice? And after she tried to blackmail him!

“You’re really not who I first thought you were Amamiya.”

“Thank you?” Ren raised an eyebrow, unsure if that was a complement. “So then...Are we good?”

They were more than good in Kawakami’s eyes. Thanks to him, she could make her payment to the Takases this month! And possibly get a little sleep in as well! This was honestly too good to be true!

Much to Ren’s surprise, he suddenly found his teacher wrapping her arms around him, standing on her toes so her arms could reach his shoulders. Even more surprising was when he felt a sudden peck on his cheek. Were teachers allowed to do this sort of thing?

“Wow.” Kawakami breathed out as she released him. “You are solid.” She suddenly shook her head, ridding herself of any naughty thoughts. “I promise I won’t forget this Amamiya! Thank you so much!” With that she bolted down the stairs and out the door.

“You’re...welcome.” Ren said more to himself than anyone else.

Someone else did hear however. Back in her room, Futaba, who had just been preparing for a different kind of session crossed her arms as the French maid left the cafe.

“Dammit! Softcore?” She asked disappointedly. “Lame!”

The next morning, Ryuji Sakamato sat back in his seat with his eyes closed and his arms behind his head with a big smirk on his face.

“What has you in such a good mood this morning Sakamoto-kun?” Haru asked her friend curiously.

The two of them, as well as Makoto Niijima, Ann Takamaki, and Morgana Philemon all sat in the student council room. The student council president had called them in for a ‘special meeting’ before school, but the nature of the meeting had yet to be revealed. According to Makoto, she wanted everyone in the group to be present before they began. Besides Futaba and Yusuke, who were not Shujin students, they were only missing one member now.

“Well Haru, since you asked.” He gained a smug look. “I just asked Hifumi out to the dance. And she said yes!”

“Took you long enough.” Ann mocked, but at the same time she felt proud for the boy.

“What about you guys? Anyone ask you yet?” He asked the room.

As if on cue, the three girls in the room each looked down with a blush, eyeing the empty seat at the table.

“I’ve gotten plenty of requests.” Morgana chimed in before turning to the person next to him and getting on one knee. “But my heart belongs to Lady Ann alone!”

“Give it a rest Mona. Not interested.” Ann replied boredly. “Go with someone else.”

“What is taking Ren so long?” Ryuji changed the subject, turning towards the door. “Was there like, a robbery or somethin’ last night?”

“Speaking of Ren. Has anyone noticed how strange he’s been acting lately? He’s been...closed off.” Haru stated sadly.

“Ren…” Makoto was about to explain, but decided it wasn’t her place to say. “He’s been through a lot lately. I can’t imagine the toll it’s taken on him mentally.”

“...”

“...”

“Why don’t we do something fun?” Ann broke the silence. “We’ve all been having a pretty stressful year.” She touched the scar on her forehead. “I think we’ve all earned a break.”

“Aw hell yeah!” Ryuji said excitedly. “Let’s go somewhere fun! Somewhere we can party!”

Haru raised her hand. “Isn’t the dance coming up soon? Couldn’t we just do that?”

“Nah! We’ve gotta pre-game! Do something outside the box! Something Ren’s sure to enjoy!” He stood up. “I’ve got it! Let’s go to a club! A cool club with dancing and drinking and karaoke!”

“Doesn’t Ren work at a club?” Haru asked. “Wouldn’t going there just make it feel like work to him?”

“Not to mention,” Makoto interrupted. “Some of us aren’t the appropriate age to go clubbing.” She stated with a glare at Ryuji.

“I’m sure we can find an appropriate one.” Ryuji assured her. “After all, we’ve got an expert at the table.”

“We do?” Ann asked. “Oh yeah!”

Suddenly, all eyes turned to the youngest student at the table.

“Oh I get it.” Morgana rolled his eyes. “Just because my family owns a nightclub, I must know about all the hotspots in the city.”

“...”

“...”

“Okay fine, I know a place.” He stated reluctantly.

“Then it’s set! We are going clubbin’!” Ryuji cheered.

Just as he said that, the door behind him opened to reveal a familiar face. Sporting a serious case of bedhead with a steaming cup of Leblanc coffee in his hand, Ren Amamiya finally arrived at the meeting.

“Sorry I’m late guys. I slept in.” He lied. In reality, he was still struggling to sleep after Minato’s death. His dreams were plagued with scenes from the bridge that night, and what he could’ve done.

“That’s okay.” Makoto responded, taking out a stack of papers. “Now we’re ready to start.”

“Are you finally going to tell us why we’re here?” Ann asked.

“I have to admit, I’m curious as well.” Haru added.

“Well...How do I put this?” Makoto wondered aloud. “As you all know, the Halloween dance is coming up next week. Now originally, the other student council members were assigned the task of buying and setting up decorations in the gymnasium. However,” She looked away awkwardly. “After a team outing, the rest of the student council has come down with a bad case of food poisoning and are sick at home for the next few days. With the dance less than a week away, we’re in need of a new team. That’s where you all come in.”

“Aww come on!” Ryuji sighed. “First I’ve gotta come in early, now I’ve gotta stay late too?”

“It’s only for a week Sakamoto-kun.” Haru replied, clapping her hands together. “I think it sounds fun!”

“I’ll help out.” Ren stated, taking a sip of coffee. “As long as it doesn’t go too long.”

“That’s great to hear!” Makoto said cheerfully. “Because I’ve already signed you all up.” Suddenly, a knock came from the door and Makoto lit up even more. “Right on time!”

As she walked over to the door, she began to explain further.

“The students aren’t the only ones helping out on the dance committee. We have some volunteers among the staff as well!” She opened the door and three figures entered the room. “Let me introduce you to the rest of the team, Professor Fuuka Yamagishi, Doctor Tae Takemi, and Doctor Takuto Maruki!”

“Hello kids!” Dr. Maruki waved his newly grown hand.

“Let’s make this the best dance ever!”

[Bonus]

After the school day came to a close, Haru and Ann were given the job of buying decorations while the others worked on food and setup. Haru was excited to be given such an important task. Ann was less so.

Nevertheless, the two scoured Shibuya in search of decorations for the dance. When they finally arrived at a shop that sold the items they were looking for, the two were shocked to learn that the cheap decorations had all been sold out.

“Sorry, you two are a bit late.” The clerk apologized. “All we’ve got left is the big stuff nobody wants to spend the money on. I don’t know why we stock up on it each year, people seem to prefer the cheap stuff that’s easy to clean up.”

“That’s okay.” Haru said, pulling out her wallet. “We’ll take it all.”

Ann turned to the girl with her mouth gaping.

“Do you think you guys could deliver it to Shujin Academy?” She asked as she handed the clerk a pink debit card.

“S-Sure thing Miss.” The clerk replied, shocked.

The clerk inserted the card, only for a buzzing noise to come out of the machine. Raising an eyebrow, the clerk pulled out the card and tried again, only to receive the same result.

“I’m sorry Miss, but your card has been declined due to insufficient funds.” He handed her the card back.

“What!?” Haru opened her eyes in shock. “It shouldn’t have done that! What was the balance?” She asked.

“Zero.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about posting this late at night. I don't know what time you guys usually read it, but I hope you don't miss this chapter. I was busy all day with school stuff so I had to start writing at around 7pm. I hope you guys like this chapter even if nothing extravagant happened. As I'm writing this I am very tired after a long week, so I might not get out another chapter till the weekend. Who knows? I can't predict how motivated I'll be tomorrow. Anyways, just a reminder that I've started another story that I work on between chapters of this. If you like my writing, check it out and give me some feedback if you want. That's about it for tonight. Until next time!


	88. Chapter 88

[119]

“It still feels unreal.” Ren said as he and Dr. Maruki placed streamers along the gym’s walls. “After all of this time, all of your hard work, BARF actually worked! You can help so many people with this!”

BARF, the Biological Accelerated Regeneration Formula, was the culmination of Dr. Maruki’s years of research. With it, countless people who had suffered the loss of arms, legs, and possibly even organs could be helped and allowed to live a normal life once more.

“Don’t sell yourself short Ren. I would’ve never accomplished this without you and Haru by my side. You should both be proud of yourselves, and you can bet I’ll be including your names on the project as well.” Maruki said with a smile as he pinned up another streamer, accidentally pricking his finger in the process. “Ow!.”

“You okay Doc?” Ren asked, holding the ladder Maruki was standing on.

“Yeah.” He finished putting up the decoration before coming down. “Just a little clumsy with the new hand. It’s not exactly like riding a bike, I need to relearn how to use this arm from scratch. But that’s a considerably small price to pay, don’t you think?” He smiled, scratching his forearm.

“Yeah...” Ren replied, noticing a bit of dead skin flaking off of the arm as he scratched. “Doc, you’re positive this formula is safe right? I mean, you’re sure you didn’t jump the gun with human trials this early?”

“Huh?” Dr. Maruki raised an eyebrow. “What happened to that optimism from a minute ago? Of course it’s safe.” When he followed Ren’s gaze to where he was scratching, he noticed the dead skin falling out. “What, this? It’s just a side effect. The skin on this arm is newly grown, so it’s more sensitive to the elements, that’s all. It’ll adjust given time.” Noticing that his assistant still looked skeptical, he reassured him. “Don’t worry Ren, the project was a resounding success! Now’s the time to celebrate!”

“Right…” Ren replied. He wasn’t exactly in a celebratory mood at the moment.

“Hey guys!” The cheerful voice of Professor Yamagishi called out, holding a stack of boxes much too big for her. “How’s it going over he-Whoa!” The small woman tripped and began to tumble forward, dropping the contents of the top container.

Reacting quickly, Ren’s arms shot out to grab each item as it fell, catching all of them before they could hit the ground.

“Wow, nice reflexes.” Maruki commented, assisting Fuuka with setting the boxes down.

“It’s uh, easier than it looks.” Ren replied sheepishly. “What is this stuff anyway?”

“Well,” Fuuka clapped the dust off of her hands. “You wouldn’t believe what I found down in the school’s basement. Check out this old projector!” She pulled free a large metallic device from one of the boxes. “Doesn’t it seem like one of those creepy items that’s like, haunted or something? I was thinking we could use this to play some classic horror movies while the dance is going on.”

“Great idea Fuuka!” Maruki said with a smile, examining the projector. “I’m sure if we found some old film reels, it would really add to the spooky atmosphere!”

“Way ahead of you.” Fuuka said excitedly, reaching in to pull another item from the box. As she attempted to pull a film reel out, she didn’t notice Maruki walking up behind her to observe. When she finally did pull the object free, it unintentionally smacked the doctor across the face, sending his glasses flying across the room.

“Oh no!” She cried, turning to the injured Maruki who had blood seeping from a cut on the bridge of his nose. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry!”

“I’m fine.” He replied, closing his eyes and holding his nose. “Don’t worry about me.”

“I’ll run and get you a bandage!” She said panickedly before running off. “Doctor Takemi!”

“Let me get your glasses for you.” Ren said as he walked over to grab the frames off of the gymnasium floor. Picking them up and making sure they weren’t broken, he returned the item to its owner.

“Thank you Ren.” Maruki released his nose and accepted the eyewear.

“Uh Doc?” Ren looked at the scientist’s face, puzzled.

“What is it?” Maruki asked curiously, wiping the lenses clean.

“Weren’t you bleeding a second ago? The scratch, it’s gone.”

“It is?” Maruki touched where the cut had been only a moment ago, noting that it no longer stung either. “That’s odd. Must not have been a very deep cut. Anyways, I’ll go assure Ms. Yamagishi that I’m okay. You can head home for the night, I think we’ve worked you and your friends hard enough today.” He said with a smile.

“If you say so.” Ren replied. While he still found the situation strange, he didn’t get the sense that the doctor was hiding anything from him. He was just his usual, cheerful self. Plus, he didn’t have the energy for that kind of thinking right now. When he got home he would try to get some rest again, maybe tonight he could actually sleep.

It was the late afternoon by the time he reached the door to Leblanc. He was about to step in, ready to rest for the evening, when he felt his phone buzz with a text. Sighing as he went to check it, he was surprised to find that it was from Naoto. Were they speaking again now? Sure he’d gone to her for information a few days earlier, but he wasn’t even sure if the detective remembered that happening.

‘Hey. I’m sorry to ask you this, but can you come down to the station? We need your help identifying a body. We think it’s your uncle.’

An hour and a half later, Ren found himself in the police station morgue. As the mortician pulled open the drawer containing Uncle Minato’s corpse, he silently nodded that it was indeed him as tears formed in the corners of his eyes once more. The gaping hole in his chest had been sewn shut, and his skin was now pale and lifeless, but that was undoubtedly his uncle. Ren felt the wound in his side flare up as memories of his failure came rushing back.

“Ren…” Naoto appeared at his side, putting her hand on the teenager’s shoulder. “Can we talk? In private?” She turned to the mortician who nodded before leaving.

“What is it?” Ren asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your uncle. From what I gathered in the reports, near the end, the two of you fought Scorpion side by side. It’s good to know that he was there for you, that he still cared for you even after all of that time in prison.”

“Yeah...” Ren responded solemnly.

“And that makes this next part more difficult.” Naoto stated sadly. “I want you to know that I was against this, but I didn’t have any say in the matter.”

“Huh?”

“Ryker’s...They want to keep this quiet. If word got out that two of their most dangerous prisoners escaped under their watch, they would lose a lot of their financial backing. So instead, they want to claim it was someone else in the suit, a copycat trying to take Prowler’s name.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Ren questioned, confused.

Naoto sighed, turning away from the boy. “There can’t be a funeral. Or a gravestone. As far as the public is concerned, Minato Arisato is still locked up in solitary confinement for the remainder of his days. They want you to be silent on the matter as well.”

“You mean I’m not even allowed to mourn my relative? I’m not allowed to tell my father that his brother is dead?” Ren was angry now. “What kind of fucked up system is that!? I have to pretend like my uncle never existed so that a bunch of corporate bigwigs don’t lose their shareholders!?” He yelled, his voice beginning to crack as he finished.

Without a word, Naoto wrapped her arms around him, embracing him tightly as she began to cry as well. Lacking the strength to put up any more of a fight, he accepted the hug, embracing her back. The two of them stood silently like that for a minute.

“I’m sorry Ren. For all of this.” Naoto finally spoke. “Everything you’ve gone through, if I hadn’t gotten you involved then maybe-”

“No.” He interrupted. “I would’ve gone down this path even if you hadn’t encouraged me.”

“Still,” Naoto countered. “I...I used you as a surrogate. I tried to use you to fill the hole Yu Narukami left behind, for the public and myself. And because of that...you’ve suffered so much, in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’m so sorry.”

“...It means a lot to hear you say that Naoto. But I assure you, I don’t blame you for any of this. My uncle...h-he made his choice, and because of him, I’m still here today.” Ren reassured himself more than her. “It’s thanks to both of you that I’m alive now.”

“They’re going to be cremating his body this afternoon. Would you like to say goodbye?”

“Yeah.” Ren replied, turning back to face his uncle’s corpse.

Lying there on his back with his eyes closed, the man looked peaceful for the first time in his life. Even when he’d been with Ren, the boy could always sense conflict within the man. But now, finally at rest, his conflict was over and he was left with no regrets having seen the boy he raised become a hero to the people of Tokyo. That was something to be proud of.

“Goodbye Uncle Minato.” Ren said, placing his hand next to the man’s body. As he walked away from the corpse, he turned to Naoto with sad eyes. “Y’know, one of the last things he said to me was that he was proud that I’d found something to fight for.” He smiled to himself. “But that I should live in the world that I was fighting for. I’m not quite sure what he meant by that.”

Naoto held her hand to Ren’s cheek. “I think your uncle wanted you to move on. To enjoy your life without being weighed down by guilt. That’s what I think at least…” She said, gazing into Ren’s eyes.

“Hmm.” Ren hummed as he stared back at her, taking her words to heart.

The two stared at one another for a long while, neither one of them speaking. Just as Ren thought he saw Naoto leaning forward, the mortician returned, interrupting them. 

“Um Ma’am? I’m sorry but I need the room…” He saw the position he’d caught them in. “...Sorry.”

“No, it’s not a problem.” Naoto replied and the two quickly separated, averting their gazes from one another.

Neither of them spoke as Naoto drove Ren back to Leblanc. Neither was sure what to say to the other. Things were simply too awkward at the moment. Ren in particular had a lot on his mind as he stared out of the car window. Memories of his uncle still flashed in his mind, only now they were of the good times. Their talks on the steps, being shown Ben and May’s ice cream shop, their late night conversation at Leblanc...His smile as he passed on.

Minato wasn’t gone, he was a part of Ren now. And he would make sure they lived on together, making the most of the life his uncle had saved.

“We’re here.” Naoto announced as she parked in front of the cafe.

“Thanks.” Ren replied, turning to her with a smile. “...Wanna come in for some coffee?”

“Sorry, I need to get back to the office. Maybe next time.” She smiled back at him.

“Next time then.” And with that, Naoto drove off, leaving Ren alone in front of Leblanc...Or at least he thought he was. As he watched Naoto drive off in her car, he was surprised when he heard a meow from next to him.

“What the-” He spun around, only to find a black and white cat standing on a crate next to him. Recognizing it immediately, he checked the collar to confirm that it was, in fact, Maurice the cat. Sure enough, the collar proved it, yet there wasn’t a phone number or an address written on it to help find the owner.

“Did-Did you follow me here?” He asked the cat, only to receive another meow in response. “I guess you recognized me by scent but still, you crossed half of the city to find me? What about your owner?” As if to answer that question, the cat rubbed against his side and began to purr softly. “Um...alright then...I guess I can at least feed you.”

As the two entered the cafe, Ren was unsure how to explain his new pet, but it seemed he wouldn’t need to as there were other matters at hand. Namely his entire friend group sitting around the counter apparently waiting for him.

“Ren!” The group cheered as he entered.

“You’ve...got a cat?” Sojiro asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Umm...Yeah?”

“...”

“...”

“You name it yet?”

“It’s Maurice...Why is everybody here?” Ren asked, setting down his backpack.

“Put on your dancing shoes cowboy!” Ryuji put an arm around his friend.

“We’re going clubbing!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next arc coming up soon! Expect it to be shorter than the last but hopefully that just means the excitement will be more compact. As we get closer to the end of this story, I'm not sure what I'll do after this is over. I'll probably keep writing so long as it continues to interest me, but I'm not sure what kind of stories I would do. Definitely not planning on something to this scale for a while. What would you guys be interested in? Maybe some short stories set in the Persona universe? I've thought of doing my own original work but I doubt I'd get many, if any, readers if I tried. To me, writing isn't too interesting if I don't get feedback. (but the feedback for this story has been great though) If you want, tell me what you guys would be interested in seeing. Maybe it'll help spark some creativity in me. Until next time!


	89. Chapter 89

[120]

“Crossroads huh?” Ren repeated the name of the building Morgana was taking them to.

The group, consisting of Ren, Ryuji, Morgana, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru, were currently in Shinjuku’s red-light district. While normally, it was taboo for high school students to be in this part of town at night, law enforcement had bigger problems to worry about with the constant villain attacks going on around the city.

“Ugh, so you’re sayin’ you don’t even know where this place is?” Ryuji whined, turning to Morgana.

“Look, I said I knew about it. I didn’t say I’d exactly been there before.” Morgana retorted.

The 8 of them had been wandering around for close to 15 minutes now with no luck. Everyone was either too drunk, too busy trying to sell them something, or more concerned with hitting on the girls in their group to actually give any proper directions.

“Excuse me! Young man with the fluffy black hair!” A voice called from Ren’s right. Turning to the source, he saw that the voice belonged to a young woman with long blonde hair sitting at a small table in front of an apartment building.

“Sorry, I’m not interested in buying anything.” Ren replied, turning to rejoin his group.

“No charge! I sense something...special about you. I simply must do a reading with you, please!” The woman put her hands together in a desperate plea.

“Um, alright. Guys I’ll be right…” He looked over, only to see his group had disappeared without him. “Oookay then.” He walked over to the stall and sat in the seat across from the woman. Ironically, despite all of the things he encountered in the past few months, Ren was a skeptic and held no belief in the supernatural, but he figured he’d humor this woman. “So do you read my palm or…”

“Here.” She held out a deck of cards. “Take 3 of them and set them on the table face down.” Ren complied, drawing 3 cards from the deck at random and placing them on the table. 

“And now, we shall take a look at your past.” She flipped over the first card and an image of a tower being struck by lightning appeared. “The Tower.” She said with a sad expression. “You’ve experienced a sudden and overwhelming change. One that has resulted in great tragedy for you. I’m so sorry for that.” Her expression showed genuine sorrow towards the boy in front of her, as if she’d actually glanced into his past.

‘That was weird.’ Ren thought to himself. ‘Pretty lucky guess.’

“Next, your present.” She flipped the card in the middle to reveal an image of a naked man and woman with an angel floating between them. “The Lovers. Two major arcana in one draw, I was right, you are special.” She said with a smile. “Despite your tragedy you have found people that you love and who love you back. Some more than you may think.” She said with a wink. “It’s good to see that you seem to be doing well despite what has happened to you.”

‘She probably just saw me walking around with my friends, that’s how she guessed. Still though, weird I drew that card now.’

“And finally, your future. Are you prepared?” She asked, almost as if warning him.

‘Well, I’ve made it this far. Might as well see it through.’ He thought before responding. “Yes.”

She flipped the final card to reveal an image of a skeleton drawing a scythe along an empty field. “Oh my…” She gasped.

“What is it?” Ren couldn’t help but be curious now. He leaned in to get a closer look at the card.

“Your final card is...Death.” She said quietly.

“So...I’m going to die soon?” Ren asked, feeling his stomach drop. Sure this was all just make-believe to him, but still...he couldn’t help but want to hear some good news for a change.

“Not...Necessarily.” She said quietly. “Death can mean many things, it can be a metaphorical death. A death of a part of yourself...But this card…” She turned back to the third card, looking at it as though it was evil. “The negative energy I sense from it...It can’t be for just one person. Something...Something terrible will happen in the near future. To the entire city. And for whatever reason...I believe you will be at the epicenter of this.” She looked up at Ren with fear in her eyes.

Not knowing what to do now, and honestly feeling creeped out, Ren got up from the stool and backed away from the stall. All the while, the woman stared at him with a shocked look in her eyes. He backed up into the street before bumping into someone and nearly falling onto his ass. He would’ve fallen, if it hadn’t been for the pair of arms reaching out to catch him.

“There you are dude!” Ryuji said cheerfully as he lifted Ren up onto his feet. “We lost you for a bit back there. Where were you?”

“I um…” He turned back to where the stall was, only for it to be blocked by the crowd. “It’s nothing. Did we find the place?”

“Hell yeah dude! It’s just up the road, c’mon the others are waiting for us!” He guided Ren to the building they were looking for and the two of them entered through the front door.

“There you are Ren!” Ann greeted as the others turned to him.

“Is this everyone?” A deep, gravelly voice asked from the front of the group.

“Yep that was our last person.” Ann replied, turning back to the person in front.

“Excellent. My name is Lala Escargot and I’m the owner here.” Lala gestured towards the inside of the club. “Now, would you like to go out on the floor or would you like to rent a room for an hour? Rooms are a bit more expensive and the service won’t be as quick, but there’s a variety of features to entertain yourselves with in there like karaoke.”

“We’ll just go out on the dance floor, right everybody?” Ryuji asked. The rest of the group nodded and entered the dance floor.

As they got onto the floor, there were colorful lights flashing from the ceiling and a large crowd of people dancing in the center. To the right of the floor was a bar and to the left were private rooms that groups could rent out for an hour at a time.

“It’s kind of loud here don’t you think?” Ren asked the group, but it was drowned out by the loud music.

“What?” Makoto asked, trying to hear him over the noise.

Quickly, the group of 8 was forced apart as the crowd unintentionally pushed them each in a different direction. 

Futaba, being the shortest of the group, and the most socially anxious, was too small to see her friends over the crowd and too shy to push her way back where she came. As she desperately searched for any familiar figures, she was caught by surprise when an elbow hit her on the head and almost knocked off her glasses.

“R-Ren? Ren!” She called desperately, trying to find him. Crouching down and hugging her arms she began to panic. ‘I should’ve stayed home!’

Yusuke, being about as strong as a baby kitten, was powerless to stop the crowd from pushing him towards the center of the crowd. When he finally managed to catch himself before falling, he found himself face to face with a woman in a shining golden dress wearing an ungodly amount of jewelry.

“Hey there pretty boy.” The woman said as she turned to Yusuke. “What do you think about my dress?” She smiled and winked.

“Well, if you must know. That amount of gold is garish and harmful to the eye. If I had to make a few changes I would…” He trailed off as he approached the woman and began adjusting her dress for her.

“Hey! Get away from me you creep!” She slapped him and sent him whirling back into the crowd.

Makoto and Haru had coincidentally been pushed in the same direction and ended up running straight into a large man wearing several golden chains around his neck. At first annoyed by the fact that someone bumped into him, his expression changed when he looked down and saw the two young girls in front of him.

“We’re very sorry about that sir.” Makoto apologized.

“No problem.” He responded with a smirk. “You girls 18? How would you two like to star in a movie? You could make a lot of money.”

“Oh are you a director?” Haru asked excitedly. “We have a friend named Ann who’s a model and aspiring actress! Could she be in your movie too?”

Smiling even wider now, the man nodded his head. “Sure she can be in it too, I think it would make the viewers even happier.”

“Nope.” Makoto grabbed Haru and pulled her away, much to the latter girl’s confusion.

Ryuji stumbled backwards as a large man pushed him aside and ended up being caught by two pairs of arms who helped him back onto his feet. Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, he turned to the men who had just helped him.

“Sorry dudes! Didn’t mean to bump into you.” He apologized.

“Oh it’s no problem at all honey.” One of the men said in a flamboyant tone.

Getting a closer look at them, these two men seemed way too old to be at the club. Easily in their late 40s, one man was dressed in a sweater with hearts on it while the other wore a rainbow sweater. Both men were wearing bright red lipstick and pouting their lips at him.

“Umm, I should go…” Ryuji promptly excused himself before being grabbed by the arm.

“Hold on honey, before you go, we need to adjust your outfit to show off your inner man!” The other man said. “A strapping young man like yourself could use a bit of fashion advice. Come with us.” It wasn’t a request as the two men began to drag Ryuji off.

“Wait! Wait! R-Ren? Ren!” He called desperately in hopes of being saved.

Ren meanwhile had just found himself in the center of a group of dancing middle-aged women who were incredibly drunk. Judging by the sash and tiara one of them was wearing, he figured he had just stumbled into the middle of a bachelorette party. And the looks these women were giving him scared him more than any villain he had faced yet.

“Um, hi ladies.” He gave a weak wave. “Sorry to interrupt, but if you’ll just excuse meee.” He tried slipping past but was pushed back into the center.

“Look girls! Looks like the stripper made it after all!” One of the women shouted, pointing at Ren. 

“C’mon Sexy! Dance for us!” Another one yelled, splashing her drink onto his shirt.

‘I feel objectified.’ Ren thought as the women began yelling more commands at him.

Ann managed to be pushed outside of the crowd and in front of a booth. “Damn, clubs are vicious.” She said aloud as she looked at the dancing crowd.

“Hey!” A voice came from behind her. “You said a swear word!”

Ann turned around and saw two small children, a boy and a girl, and one baby in a cradle sitting in the booth. “What the?” She looked around but saw no adult nearby. “Someone brought children to a club? Who’s kids are these?” She asked but the crowd ignored her.

“Mama’s having a party with her friends. She couldn’t find a babysitter so she told us to sit here and play with our coloring books.” The girl said, coloring in a page with a purple crayon.

“Oookay.” Ann said, wondering just what kind of mother these children had. Before she could ask anything else, the baby began to cry in its cradle. When neither of the siblings did anything about it, Ann began to panic. “What’s wrong with it?” She asked leaning in to inspect the baby.

“She’s hungry. Mom usually gives her milk around this time.” The boy said, not looking up from his book.

“Where’s her bottle then? I’ll feed her.”

“She doesn’t use a bottle.” The boy responded.

It took Ann a moment to realize what that meant, when she finally did her eyes widened in horror. “That. Is not. Happening.” So instead, she attempted to calm the crying child by rocking it back and forth.

“ANN! Oh thank goodness!” A voice called from behind the blonde and she felt a pair of arms wrap around her leg in a desperate hug. “I thought I lost you forever!”

Looking down, Ann realized it was another baby in need of her help, only this one had long orange hair and glasses. When she raised her head, Ann spotted the rest of her friends walking towards her tiredly, all in various states of dishevelment. 

Yusuke’s face had a large red handprint across his cheek. Makoto and Haru were covered in glitter for some reason. Ren’s shirt was torn in various places and he had several 1000 yen bills tucked into his waistband. And Ryuji was wearing an entirely different outfit than the one he’d been wearing when they entered, honestly this one looked better on him.

“What happened to you guys?” Ann asked the group.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” They responded in unison.

“Where’s Morgana?” Makoto noticed the one member they were missing.

As if to answer her question, the blue haired boy appeared nearby. Out of the entire group, he looked the worst for wear. His eye had a bruise swelling beneath it and his nose was bleeding.

“Oh my god! What happened to you?” Ann asked, concerned.

“I...I got into a fight. There were like 3 other guys and they were harassing a girl and I stepped in to stop them. They got a few licks in but I managed to fend them off.” He played the situation off coolly.

“Wow Morgana, that’s incredible!” Haru commented.

Suddenly, a group of loud college boys passed by and one of them pointed to Morgana. “I’m telling you dude! I saw it with my own eyes! Dude slipped on an ice cube and fell right on his face! I got the whole thing on video, I’ll send it to you!”

The rest of the group turned back to face Morgana who just stared at the ground and sighed. “This sucks.”

“Hey!” A woman’s voice yelled from the crowd. The group turned and saw a middle-aged woman approaching them aggressively. “Get the hell away from my kids!”

A few minutes and an awkward explanation later, the teens finally found themselves in some more comfortable accommodations.

“Ahh, this is much better.” Ryuji said, leaning back in his cushioned seat.

After their, less than ideal experience on the dance floor, the group had instead opted to rent out one of the rooms in the back for an hour. The room was stocked full of entertainment, a karaoke machine, a TV, and a table full of drinks (Makoto had made sure to ask for non-alcoholic ones). 

“You ever gonna explain how you changed clothes?” Ann asked as she took a sip from her drink.

“Never.” Ryuji said, curling up in a ball and shivering. “I never even want to think of it again.”

“So, what should we do now?” Yusuke asked, stirring his drink with the straw.

“Ooh! Ooh! I have an idea!” Futaba raised her hand before reaching into her coat and pulling out several thin wooden objects. When she set them out on the table, it became clear that they were chopsticks and each one had a number on it counting from 2 to 8 save for one which had a red tip instead.

“Um Futaba?” Haru asked, examining one of the chopsticks. “What are these for exactly?”

“You mean you don’t know!?” Futaba asked, clearly excited.

“We’re gonna play the King’s Game!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Props to user: Oz, for giving me the idea for the King's Game all the way back in October! Mainly meant for this chapter to be a fun one where we get to see the group getting into hijinks with a bit of foreshadowing in the beginning. Our fortune teller waifu has finally made an appearance! Expect a lot more hijinks as the group begins the game next chapter. I hope the humor that I put into this story makes you guys smile, because I know it does for me. I had a lot of fun writing this and can't wait to here what you guys have to say on this. Until next time!


	90. Chapter 90

[121]

“The rules of the King’s Game are as follows!” Futaba stood up and explained in her best announcer voice. “Number one: At the start of each round, players must draw a chopstick from the bowl without looking at its number or lack thereof. Whoever pulls the red stick is the king!” She held the red tipped chopstick high above her head like a sword.

“Number two:” She continued. “The king must order one of their subjects to perform a task. Usually an embarrassing one! Number three: The king can’t choose a person by name, only by number, so they don’t know who is who! And finally number four: As the game progresses, the commands must become increasingly embarrassing or risque! It’s no fun if they’re all tame and boring!”

Makoto seemed hesitant to play. “I...I don’t know about this guys. Maybe we should play something else…”

“No way!” Ryuji exclaimed, sitting up excitedly. “That sounds awesome! We’re doing that!”

“Oh this sounds fun!” Haru clapped her hands together happily.

Ren put an arm around Makoto’s shoulder, much to the girl’s surprise.“Aren’t you always saying how you want to do stuff regular students do?” He reasoned. “This could be a great opportunity for study. Eh Makoto?” He smiled.

“W-Well I mean…” She hesitated, blushing furiously. “...Okay, but can we keep the requests reasonable?”

“Nope!” Ryuji and Futaba replied in unison.

With the rules set and everyone sitting on the sofa, the game began and everyone drew the first round of sticks. There was a pause as everyone checked to see what number they were this turn before looking around at the others.

“YES! I’m the king!” Morgana cheered, holding up his chopstick. “My order is that Lady Ann must kiss me!”

“You have to pick a number, genius.” Futaba reminded him.

“Fine. Then I will let fate guide me and Lady Ann together!” He closed his eyes and began to think hard. “...Number two!” He finally said, opening his eyes.

“...”

“...”

“Very well.” Yusuke sighed, standing up. “If we must.”

“N-NO! I changed my mind! Number three!” Morgana pleaded, stepping away from the approaching boy.

“You can’t change the number or back out of your order.” Futaba stated. “The king’s orders are absolute.”

“But...I don’t wanna kiss Yusuke, I want Lady Ann!”

“If you continue to draw this out, it will only be longer for all of us.” Yusuke said.

“Why are you okay with this?” Morgana questioned the artist.

“Dude,” Ryuji rolled his eyes. “This is the guy who asks random people on the street if he can paint them naked. I don’t think he has an ounce of embarrassment in him.”

Finally backed into a corner, Morgana’s face became red as Yusuke slammed his hand against the wall next to him and began to lean in. When Morgana turned to look at Yusuke he was met with an intense gaze that showed no fear. Before he knew it the gap between their faces had closed.

“Holy shit dude.” Ryuji turned to the others. “Yusuke’s a player.” The two boys began walking back to the others. “How was it?” He asked Morgana as he and Yusuke returned to their seats, the former with red cheeks and the latter looking as if nothing happened.

“Shut up.” Morgana said, grabbing a large glass and downing it in one go. “Let’s just start the next round.”

“Alright people!” Futaba said with a smile, setting down her empty glass. “Round two, draw your sticks!”

The group did as they were instructed and drew the shuffled chopsticks from the bowl.

“Ooh! My turn!” Haru cheered, holding up the red chopstick.

“What are your orders Haru?” Ryuji asked.

“Hmm…” She paused to think for a moment. “Oh! I know! Number four has to take off their shirt!”

“Do I really have to?” Ren asked, showing his chopstick that read ‘4’ on it.

“Yes!” Ann and Futaba responded, possibly a bit too enthusiastic.

“Yay!” Haru said with a small clap. “I got the one I wanted!”

“Haru!” Makoto turned to the girl next to her, surprised. “What if number four had been a girl?”

“I wouldn’t have minded that much either.” She said happily, taking another swig from her drink. Ann and Makoto’s eyes went wide as they looked at Haru then each other having gained some new insight on their friend.

Complying with the rules, Ren unbuttoned his (already torn from earlier) shirt before setting it next to him. This was the first time that anyone in his friend group had seen him like this, even in Hawaii he wore a hoodie for the whole trip to hide his scars.

Every person in the room couldn’t help but stare at Ren’s chest, most with gaping mouths. The muscles he’d gained from receiving the spider bite and months of fighting crime, as well as the scars he’d gained from his various battles were on full display to the other teenagers.

“Jesus!” Ann said as she admired the boy’s abs. “I knew you were built but goddamn! You could grate cheese on those things!”

“He’s got those um, what do you call them? C*m gutters!” Futaba pointed to Ren’s obliques. “The fish gill things on the sides of his abs!”

“Futaba, don’t be gross!” Ryuji chided the girl.

“That’s what they’re called though!” She protested.

While normally, Makoto would’ve stepped in to stop such crass language, she was sitting directly to Ren’s right and thus had the closest view. Without even thinking or meaning to, she ran her fingers across his chest to feel him. Turning her gaze downward, she noticed that Ren also had that V-shaped muscle that led down to his-

“Uh Makoto?” Ren asked. “What are you doing?”

“Huh?” She snapped out her hypnotized state. “OhmygodI’msosorryIdidn’tmeantoI’msorry!” She immediately hid her face in her jacket.

“Ren, you simply must model for me after this!” Yusuke interrupted. “I must make a portrait, nay, a sculpture to capture your image!”

Haru meanwhile was drooling at the mouth with a grin on her face. This had been a good use of her power as king.

“Okay people, why don’t we start the next round?” Ren asked, buttoning his shirt back up, his face blazing red in embarrassment.

“Fine…” Futaba grumbled. “Next round! Everybody draw a chopstick!”

“Oh, it’s me!” Ann said in surprise. “How about...Number seven has to...hold hands with the person to their right for the rest of the game!”

“What!?” Ryuji shouted, standing up. “No way is that legal! She can’t make us do that for the whole game right?” He turned to Futaba who was smiling like a gremlin.

“The king’s orders…” She began.

“Are absolute!” Ann finished with a smirk towards Ryuji.

Seeing as how he had no way out of this, he grumbled and sat back down. Looking to his right, he saw Ren holding out his hand while looking the other way, hiding his embarrassment. With his own face red, Ryuji reluctantly grasped his best friend’s hand in his own.

“This game sucks.” He grumbled, looking down.

“Round four!” The group took a drink before they drew their sticks once more to determine this round’s king.

“Finally!” Futaba cheered, swaying a bit in her chair. “I’m the *hicc* King!” She held up her chopstick before losing her balance.

“Are you okay?” Ann asked, not exactly seeing straight herself.

“I’m good…” She picked herself off of the ground before reaching into her jacket pocket. “For my order,” She pulled a small rectangular device out. “Number two is getting tased!”

“Futaba no!” Makoto protested, getting off of the sofa and using it as a shield. “You’re not tazing anyone! That’s too far.”

Ren turned his gaze down to the chopstick Makoto had dropped and saw that it read ‘2’ on it.

“Too bad Makoto!” Futaba got out of her seat and began to chase the other girl with a taser in hand. “King’s orders!”

“No!” The two of them ran in circles around the couch as the others watched, laughing as they took more drinks.

As she tried to catch Makoto, Futaba lost her balance and fell to the floor. The older girl turned around and approached her cautiously. Seeing as how the girl wasn’t moving, Makoto began to panic and kneeled at the girl’s side.

“Futaba! Futaba are you oka-AGH!” Makoto cried out in surprise as Futaba tased her leg. The older girl fell to the ground, clutching her leg. “What the hell!? I thought you were hurt!” She yelled at the small girl.

“Too *hicc* baaad!” She smiled teasingly before helping the angry girl up and back onto the couch. Mad that she got tricked, Makoto downed another glass when she took her seat next to Ren.

“Round *hicc* five!” Futaba announced, her cheeks red and her body swaying.

“Hey Makoto,” Ren turned to the girl on his right. “You said you requested non-alcoholic drinks right?”

“Huh?” She looked at him with half-lidded eyes and pink dusted cheeks. “Oh, yeah totally I’m sure of it.”

“Alright…” He turned back to the drinks and took another swig. Out of everyone, he’d had the most drinks by far and still felt pretty fine, great actually, so it must be okay. Futaba was probably just tired. He then looked over to Ryuji on his left. “Dude, how is it possible that your hand is this sweaty?” He gestured to their still clasped hands.

“Shut up!”

The group continued their game, drawing their chopsticks. This time it was Ren’s turn to be King. Reasoning that he had a 4/7 chance of picking a girl, he decided to take a risk and go for something he’d always kind of wanted.

“Number eight, why don’t you come sit on my lap?”

“...”

“F-Fine.” Makoto said, her cheeks even redder than before. “But...only for a second!” She stood up and stood in front of Ren (unintentionally giving the boy a nice view of her butt in tight pants) before shakily sitting down on one of his legs. The two sat like that for a moment before Makoto stood up and took her seat next to him again.

“Boo!” Futaba said from the sidelines. “Weak sauce! You gotta do it closer. Here, let me show you…” The girl got up out of her seat before crawling onto Ren’s lap like a kitten. “Mmm, nice and firm.” She began to doze off.

“I *hicc* want a turn!” Haru said, scooting Futaba off of Ren and onto the floor before replacing her, putting her arms around Ren and resting comfortably on his lap.

“What the *hicc* hell Haru?” Futaba got off the ground and forced Ryuji to the side so she could wrap herself around Ren. The two girls gave each other a jealous glare as they squeezed harder around the boy.

“Well, I guess if everyone else is doing it.” Ann took another drink before joining in on the fun. She pushed in between Ren and Makoto before grabbing his right arm and wrapping herself around it and using his shoulder as a pillow.

Looking at the boy surrounded by the four girls, the other guys present had varying reactions to the display in front of them.

“Dude, for real!? All four?” Ryuji whined. “Some guys have all the luck. What’s a guy gotta do to get bitten by a spider around here?”

“Incredible.” Yusuke said before he began sketching on a napkin. “Like the mighty Genghis Khan, he surrounds himself with women who are drawn to his power! I simply must capture this moment!”

“Lady Ann!” Morgana began to cry as he took another drink from off of the table.

Back behind the bar, Lala Escargot was wiping down empty glasses when a man in a business suit approached the bar looking furious.

“What the hell is going on here? Why are the drinks in my room filled with damn juice!? You expect me to drink this kiddy shit?”

“Sorry sir, I’ll have a new round of drinks sent to Room five immediately.” The bar owner apologized.

“Room five? No, I’m in Room four!”

“Wait, what?” Lala’s eyes went wide. “Then who did I give…Oh god.”

The next morning:

“What the hell?” Ren groaned as woke up in his bed in the attic of Leblanc. “How did I get home?” He wondered aloud as he sat up in his bed. “I thought Makoto said those drinks were non-alcoholic, so why do I feel like I just got hit by a bus?”

As he tried to remember the previous night’s events, his recollection of events ended just after they were halfway through the King’s Game. Had all of that really happened? Ren had never been drunk before so he wasn’t completely sure. He must’ve had quite a bit last night if it got past his accelerated metabolism. He couldn’t imagine how the others were feeling right now.

Wait. Were the others okay? Had they made it home? What if they were injured? He reached over to grab his phone off of the shelf next to his bed, only to be stopped when he heard a groan in protest. Ren panicked and looked down, seeing that there was another figure lying next to him. How had they gotten there and why were they there? He had no clue, all he knew at the moment was...

There was definitely a girl in his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this chapter had enough fanservice for you guys, just in case you forgot this is a harem story after all. I wanted to make this chapter and the previous fun ones because I feel like the series has been pretty gloomy lately. Who is the girl in Ren's bed I wonder? Sorry, but no hints this time. Are you guys excited for the future of the story? I want this story to become better as it goes on, especially towards the end, and the best way to do that is to hear what you like and don't like about it. That's about all for now so I hope you enjoy it!


	91. Chapter 91

[122]

What happened last night? He and his friends had been having a good time together in a private room, but the rest was a blur. More importantly, who was in his bed with him right now!? Was it a girl from the club? What if it was one of his friends? He didn’t know which of those situations would be more awkward.

Of course he found each of the girls in his friend group very attractive and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about each of them that way (Even Futaba, as ashamed as he was to admit it). But did any of them think about him like that too? And what about this weird thing he had going on with Naoto? Honestly, it might be easier if the girl was a stranger. Sure it’d be awkward for a few minutes, but then they’d probably leave and that would be it.

‘Ugh. Is that the kind of guy I am now?’ He thought to himself.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled his nerves and prepared himself to lift the sheets. Better to find out now and plan ahead than to just react when she woke up. Gently pulling back the blankets, he began to see brunette hair lying against a pillow. When he finally pulled the sheet back fully, he was surprised to find that he did in fact recognize the girl beside him. And that made this situation a whole lot more complicated.

‘H-Haru!?’ He let out a gasp of surprise, unintentionally waking the girl who began to panic.

“Ahh!” She screamed before accidentally rolling out of the bed. “Ren!”

“Haru! Are you okay? Why are you-Did we-?” He sat up and climbed out of bed, helping the girl up.

“No!” She waved her hands frantically. “It’s not like that! We didn’t! I just…” She looked away, rubbing one of her arms.

Ren was relieved to hear that he hadn’t ruined their friendship in a night of drunken passion. Yet at the same time, a small part of him was disappointed. But if they hadn’t done it, why was she here? If he remembered right, Haru was staying with Tae in her apartment. Aside from Futaba, her place was closest to Leblanc, so why stay the night?

“Haru what’s wrong? What-” He rubbed his temples. “What happened last night?”

“You don’t remember?” The girl seemed surprised. “Well actually, my recollection of it isn’t great either. But I do remember asking to stay the night. You were going to sleep on the floor but I insisted we share the bed.” Her cheeks became red.

“You didn’t want to go back to Takemi’s? Did something happen?” He asked, concerned.

“No, well yes but...not between us.” She struggled to explain. “Why don’t I just start from the beginning?” She took a seat next to him on the bed. “Um...I told you about Sugimura...right? The man I was previously engaged to?”

“Yeah.” Ren remembered her explaining on the roof of Shujin. “You said he turned out to be a man hired to kill your father. And he had a suit that let him disguise himself as anyone.”

“That’s right.” Haru nodded. “But...what I didn’t know until just recently was that killing my father wasn’t his only reason for getting close.”

“What do you mean?”

“After...After he killed my father, Sugimura...h-he taunted me. Leaving threatening notes, pictures of me from behind…” She began to choke up at the memories and Ren put a comforting arm around her.

“I’m so sorry. I...I had no idea you were dealing with this…”

“That’s why I accepted Doctor Takemi’s offer and moved in. I...I had to get away from home. From him.” She wiped her tears. “I thought that was the end of it...But it turns out that by running away, I did exactly what he wanted of me. It turns out, Sugimura has been posing as me…”

Ren’s eyes widened in surprise and his mouth gaped.

“He’s tricked everyone at Okumura Enterprises into believing the marriage went through ahead of schedule. And, using my identity, he successfully gained control of Okumura Enterprise and sold it off to be absorbed by Shido Sciences.” She looked down, ashamed. “My father’s company is gone now because of my cowardice. And now...I have nothing. No money, no savings, no home, no identity. Sugimura has taken it all away from me.”

“Haru…” Ren had no idea what to say. What could you say to someone who just lost everything? “Why...why didn’t you say anything last night? We would’ve all been there for you.”

“I just wanted one night, one night where I could forget all of that. I wanted to hide from the truth for just a bit longer...and enjoy one more night with you all.” She sobbed. “I didn’t go back to Takemi’s because...I can’t face her. She’s already done so much for me but now...I’ll never be able to repay my debt. I have nothing to offer.”

“Haru! You know she doesn’t care about that!” Ren scolded the girl. “Takemi isn’t looking after you because she expects money! I should know, if she charged me for every time I came to her bleeding out, I’d owe millions by now!” He placed his hand on Haru’s shoulder once more. “This is what friends are for, to rely on when you’re out your lowest.”

“But…” Haru still seemed troubled. “Where do I go from here? How do you come back from...from this?”

“Take it from someone who’s lost everything before.” Ren smiled at her. “You can only go up from here.”

Haru stared at the boy, wondering where he got his optimism from. Maybe it was another superpower?

Without waiting for a response, Ren got up from the bed and stretched. “Now how about I go make us some breakfast? This isn’t the kind of problem you deal with on an empty stomach.” The boy went down the stairs to the kitchen and began to cook for her.

‘For as long as I can remember, people have always been doing things for me…’ Haru thought sadly. ‘Should...Should I really rely on everyone so much? Am I really that helpless?’

A few minutes later, after getting dressed (Ren had loaned her some pajamas), she headed downstairs just in time to see Ren placing two steaming plates of curry on the table.

“Curry...for breakfast?” Haru said, confused.

“Trust me, Futaba and I have it every day and we’re still not sick of it. Plus it pairs great with the-” He was interrupted by a loud noise from the kettle behind the counter. “Shit!” He ran to remove the kettle from the counter while Haru took a seat at the counter.

Taking a bite of the curry, Haru was shocked by how good it was. Ren had told her Leblanc was famous for its curry, but she didn’t think it would be this good, and in the morning no less. And to top it off, when Ren brought out the coffee, it perfectly complemented the dish. It seemed almost as if her spirits were being raised from simply the act of eating.

“‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’” Ren quoted, leaning against the counter. “Hippocrates supposedly said that.”

Haru hummed in reply, too busy stuffing her face to speak. Seeing her enjoy the meal, Ren decided to dig into his own plate which, while good, was still no match for Sojiro’s cooking. He’d beat him one day.

“So,” Ren began as he set down his spoon. “What’s our next move?”

“Hmm?” Haru tilted her head, confused.

“About Sugimura, we can’t just let him get away with this! There has to be a way to get your company back, right?”

“Ren...There’s nothing that can be done.” She replied sadly. “Okumura Enterprises is gone, it’s a part of Shido Sciences now. My shares are gone, I have no say in, well...anything anymore. As far as the world is concerned, I’m not even Haru Okumura anymore…”

“So then, what is it that you want to do?” Ren changed the question.

“I don’t understand.”

“You, Haru Okumura. What is it that you want to do? Now, no one can decide your future for you. What would you like to do with the rest of your life?”

Haru was surprised, all this time and she’d only thought of the money and reputation she’d lost. But...in reality, she’d never cared about those things to begin with. While she was growing up, and her father was always busy building his company, all she’d ever wanted to do was be like the normal kids. Now, in a way, she was one. Granted, she was dirt poor now and had no home or parents, but she had a family. A new family who over such a short time, she’d grown to love. Ren was right, now she could do what she wanted with her life! No more arranged marriages, no more business meetings, no more Sugimura!

“When I was growing up.” She began. “My grandfather owned a cafe. It was small, but it had great coffee that the regulars loved. I remember wanting to own one just like it when I grew up. That was...before he died, and my father started his company.”

“That’s incredible!” Ren stood up from his seat. “Not the part about your grandfather dying, obviously. You want to try working at a cafe? Come work here!”

“Wh-But...Surely I’m not qualified. I’ve never made coffee in my life! I’ve never even cooked for myself!” She protested.

“So? When I first came here, I couldn’t even hard boil an egg! Sojiro’s an amazing teacher and I’m sure he’d be glad to have an extra pair of hands around since I’m gone so much. If you want to try working here, go ahead. Hell, I could teach you right now if you wanted.”

“Y-You would? In that case...could we start now?” She asked shyly.

“Sure. We can get started on everyone else’s breakfast and I’ll show you the steps.” He tied his apron up once again before handing her one.

“Everyone...else?” She questioned as she accepted the apron.

“Sojiro and Futaba. Not to mention, while you were changing, I got a few texts from the others. They’re pretty hungover too, so they’re coming here for some curry. Spicy food can help with hangovers after all.”

“Oh.” Now that she thought about it, her head didn’t even hurt anymore. Whatever was in this curry must’ve been a revolutionary cure-all, because Haru felt better than she could ever recall. It was either that or being with him. Ren just seemed to have this effect on her, helping cheer her up whenever she was at her lowest.

As she watched the boy begin to slice chili peppers with a huge grin on his face, Haru felt her feelings for Ren grow stronger than they were before. Sure she’d first fallen for his hero side, the masked vigilante who risked his life on a regular basis. But in all honesty, she liked this side of him even better, the soft-hearted boy living in the attic of a cafe who loved life and his friends. When she’d woken up this morning, she’d been scared and confused, but now she didn’t want this moment to end. And now that she didn’t have to worry about any arranged marriages, maybe now she could pursue who she really wanted.

“You coming?” Ren asked, turning to her.

“Oh! Yes, sorry!” She snapped out of her daze and joined the boy in the kitchen.

They were halfway through preparation when the cafe door swung open and in came a familiar punk-rock doctor looking very concerned.

“Ren! Have you seen Haru? She didn’t come home last night and-” She turned her gaze behind the counter and spotted the girl in question stirring a pot of chicken and vegetables.

“Good morning Tae! I’m making curry!” She giggled excitedly.

“Dammit girl!” She stormed her way behind the counter and smacked the back of the girl’s head. “Do you have any idea how worried I was about you!? You didn’t call, you didn’t text! I was up all night waiting for you, calling hospitals to see if you were hurt!”

“I’m sorry.” Haru rubbed the spot Tae hit. “I...I didn’t think. I was out with my friends and being stupid and-” The girl was cut off as the doctor pulled the girl into a hug, one which shocked Haru but she gladly reciprocated.

“Don’t ever worry me like that again. Got it?” She asked, her tone serious but relieved.

“Got it.” Haru replied, a tear forming in her eye as she smiled at the woman.

“Well since you’re here already, care for some breakfast?” Ren asked. “It’s on the house.”

“Damn right it is.” Takemi replied. “You owe me that much after making me worry so much.” She took a seat in one of the booths while Ren and Haru resumed cooking, both with large grins on their faces.

It wasn’t long after they finished preparations that the rest of the crew filed in, first Futaba and Sojiro, who was glad to not have to cook that morning, along with Ren’s new cat Maurice, soon followed by Ryuji, Makoto, Ann, Morgana, and finally Yusuke. Thankfully, none of the teens discussed last night’s events, exposing their underage drinking and subsequent hangovers to the adults present. The food was a hit, with all of the guests greedily cleaning their plates before asking for seconds (thirds in Yusuke’s case) and Haru couldn’t have been more proud.

As she looked over everyone talking and enjoying breakfast, she couldn’t help but reflect on how perfect this moment was. In that moment, none of what she had lost mattered, because she had gained so much too. Everyone was here and enjoying themselves, and she was able to help create that. What more could you ask for?

“You like it?” Ren asked, standing beside her. “Working here?”

“...It’s perfect.” She replied, staring into his eyes.

“Yeah. This place has some magic to it. No doubt about it.” He looked over his friends, his family enjoying themselves. “Hey Boss!” He called out to Sojiro. “Can Haru work here?”

“Sure.” The older man replied. “She can have your job!” He joked.

“Wha!” Ren mocked being offended. “Unbelievable.”

Haru merely giggled in response, grateful to be welcomed into the cafe.

When the meal finally concluded and the conversations began to simmer down, Makoto decided to make an announcement.

“Alright everyone, I know that the dance is still a few days away, but it’ll be upon us before we know it. I suggest that everyone, along with making sure the gym is prepped, go out and get a costume for the dance. Futaba, Yusuke, Boss, you’re all welcome to come as plus-ones so this applies to you too.”

“Ah I’m too old for that kind of shindig, you kids have fun though.” Sojiro passed on the invitation.

“Shindig? God Sojiro, you’re so old!” Futaba playfully punched his side. “But you can bet I’m going! I’ve got the perfect cosplay in mind!”

“I wish you’d told me sooner!” Yusuke raised his voice. “I’ll need to begin preparations now if I want to dazzle you all with my costume!”

“Sounds like this is going to be quite the event.” Tae took a sip from her coffee. “I can’t believe I signed up for this committee. You’re all lucky I love Halloween.”

And, just as Makoto said, the dance was upon them before they knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I got tons of comments with people guessing and hoping who it was but none said Haru which made me a bit sad. She is an underrated girl in the game and is one of my personal favorites, though I can totally understand the appeal of the other girls (Makoto Gang!). I know that this was a really mushy chapter but I feel like we kinda needed that after everything that's happened. Sorry for making you guys wait for this chapter, I know I post frequently but I do have other stuff going on in my life. Next chapter, the dance! Featuring our (unwelcome) guest of honor! So I hope you guys look forward to that. Until next time!


	92. Chapter 92

[123]

“Food? Check. Lighting? Check. Decorations? Check.” Makoto Niijima finished going over the points on her clipboard as she walked around examining the gymnasium in full student council president mode.

“Makoto, I think you can relax.” Dr. Maruki reassured her. “Everything looks great. Why don’t you go hang out with your friends?”

“Thanks Dr. Maruki, but I really need to finish going through this. Besides, they texted me that they’re running a bit late.” She replied, checking her phone. Her costume was that of a witch, complete with a long black dress and pointy hat. She had a broomstick but that was sitting in the corner as it was too inconvenient to carry around constantly.

“Alright, if you insist.” Maruki complied. He’d been rather lazy with his costume, taking an old lab coat and cutting some frays around the end and messing up his hair to give him a mad scientist look. He’d also purchased a pair of novelty glasses where the fake eyes hung out on springs. As he walked away he scratched his right arm which was growing increasingly itchy.

“Okay,” Makoto turned back to her clipboard. “We’ve got punch and dipping sauces. The projector is set to play some classic black and white movies in the background. Now all that’s left is to make sure everyone mans their appropriate stations and we’re set.”

“Yo, Makoto!” A voice called from behind her. Turning around she spotted Ryuji walking in with his date, Hifumi Togo. Ryuji was dressed as a pirate, complete with a hat, jacket, hook hand, and eyepatch. Meanwhile his date had gone all out with her outfit, dressed as a historically accurate samurai and holding a katana at her side.

“Ryuji! Hifumi! Glad to see you two could make it.” She greeted the couple with a smile. “I hope you two have a great evening, but Ryuji, don’t forget you’re watching the snack table at 8. We don’t want anyone’s drinks getting spiked. Understand?”

“Yeah I know, don’t want a repeat of the other night.” Ryuji replied nonchalantly.

“What happened the other night?” Hifumi raised an eyebrow

Makoto crossed her arms and scowled at Ryuji who’d just realized what he said.

“Uh, I’ll...tell you later. Why don’t we grab some snacks?” He suggested, changing the topic. “The others are on their way in, I saw them out front!” He called back to Makoto as he and his date walked off.

Completely unrelated to that, Makoto began to check her hair and makeup one last time before the party. Not for anyone in particular, certainly not Ren who could walk in at any moment and see her. As she adjusted her costume, she made sure to show the tiniest hint of cleavage. Again, for no one in particular.

“Makoto!” Ann’s voice called out to her. Moving to greet her, Makoto got an eyeful of what she was wearing and instantly grew ten times more self-conscious.

The blonde beauty had decided to go as the Black Cat, a well known vigilante in Tokyo and occasional partner to Spider-Man. The black skin tight costume left little to the imagination, and the zipper down the middle was pulled far lower than most other girls would dare. Ann already drew eyes with her stunning looks, but this was far beyond that.

“Ann...welcome.” She greeted half-heartedly, averting her gaze from the other girl. “Did you get here alright?”

“Yeah, some assholes tried to grope me on the subway though. But I took care of it.” She cracked her knuckles menacingly.

“Oh, I see.” Makoto responded, trying to look anywhere else.

“Uh, everything okay?” Ann looked at her curiously.

“Yep! Just...making sure everything is set up okay!” She lied, forcing a smile. It had been a while since Makoto had felt this hostile towards Ann, but she couldn’t help herself. Now that she knew Ann was interested in Ren too, she couldn’t help but feel she was in competition with the other girl, and losing horribly at that. And Makoto hated losing.

“Oh hey, Ren’s here!” Ann changed the subject, running to meet the boy with Makoto chasing after.

Ren, rather than choosing to buy a costume (he was broke after that mess with Kawakami) had opted to show up in his Spider-Man suit, though he left his mask off since he didn’t want to be too obvious.

“Ren!” Makoto scolded him as discreetly as she could. “What are you doing!? You don’t want people to know that you’re actually...y’know.” She gestured to the suit.

“Nobody’s gonna know.” He smiled at Makoto, gesturing to the other guests present. “Besides, my costume isn’t exactly original.” She looked out to the other students and saw at least six others dressed in the same outfit as him, granted they looked store bought and didn’t fit their owners nearly as well as Ren’s.

“Cheap imitations of my work. Truly shameful.” Said Yusuke, suddenly standing next to Ren. Yusuke’s costume was...interesting to say the least, though it came as no surprise to anyone who knew him. He had chosen to come to the party dressed as a traditional geisha, complete with white makeup, yukata, and his hair tied in a bun. His already androgenous appearance made him a very convincing girl. Had he not spoken, the others might not have recognized him.

“Uhh, Yusuke? I think you might draw the wrong kind of crowd with that outfit.” Ann stated.

This seemed to confuse Yusuke. “What do you mean? Many of the students here showed great interest in my costume.” He pulled out several slips of paper. “Several even gave me their phone numbers. However, when I spoke to them, they did seem to lose interest quickly. Perhaps I need to work on my speaking skills?”

“Yeah...That’s what it is.”

“My Lady Ann,” A voice spoke in a fake Spanish accent. “I have come to steal your heart.” 

When the group turned towards the voice, they spotted Morgana trying his best to look mysterious by hiding behind his cape. Judging by the hat, mask, fake mustache, and outfit, he had come dressed as Zorro and was trying his best to be in character.

“Oh, hey Morgana.” Ann greeted casually.

“A rose, for one as beautiful as yourself.” He knelt down, presenting Ann a single rose. “Please, take it and accept my love.”

“Yeah, no thanks.” She turned away and continued to speak with the others.

“Hello everyone!” Came the cheerful voice of Haru as she greeted her friends.

“Hello Har-AGH!” Makoto screamed in surprise at Haru’s costume.

The girl was dressed in a wedding gown that was caked in blood and torn in several places. The most horrifying part of her costume however, was her face which used makeup and props to appear as though she had a cleaver buried halfway through her already rotting head. The realness and the gore of the costume was enough to scare anyone if they were caught by surprise.

“Like it?” Haru asked with a giggle. “Takemi helped me with it. I wanted it to be as bloody as possible!”

“Yo.” Takemi greeted casually, walking up behind Haru. Her makeup was made to look like the bottom half of her face was peeling off and exposing the muscle and bone beneath. “Who’s ready to party?”

“Wow um, y-you certainly do good work Dr. Takemi.” Makoto said, averting her gaze once more, this time to avoid vomiting.

“Yeah well, I see a lot of this stuff in my line of work. Wanna hear about this one patient I had whose entire nose got cut off? I’ve got pictures.” She held up her phone.

“Ooh! Ooh! I do!” Haru jumped excitedly.

“Maybe another time.” Makoto replied before turning to Ren. “Where’s Futaba?” She asked, looking around for the smaller girl.

“She’s saying bye to Sojiro, he drove us here so that no one on the subway messed up her costume.”

“Oh what did she come as?”

“NEO!” A small figure dressed in pink appeared striking a pose while holding a bow. When no one responded she seemed to lose her enthusiasm and droop her arms. “Featherman…” She finished quietly.

“Oh right Neo Featherman, I think I’ve heard of that show.” Makoto tried to remember. “Which one are you supposed to be?”

“Pink Argus! Obviously! She’s the leader in the most recent incarnation of the show! She’s played by the incredible Yukari Takeba and is a total badass!”

“Yukari Takeba?” Ren asked, surprised. Was the singer from the Velvet Room really also the star of a...kid’s show?

“Alright, well it looks like everyone is here now so why don’t we all go enjoy ourselves?” Makoto suggested. “Ann, you and I are on catering duty for the first half hour so why don’t we-”

“Actually,” Ann interrupted. “Do you think maybe you could handle it yourself? I was hoping to enjoy the party a bit first. I promise I’ll take the shift right after.”

“But...the schedule…” Makoto weakly pointed to the clipboard as Ann walked away with Ren in tow.

“Thanks a bunch!” She waved back. “Ooh, why don’t we try this?” She suggested as the two walked off into the crowd.

“Oof. That girl plays dirty.” Futaba commented. “Hoarding him all to herself, that’s low.”

Makoto scowled at Ann’s back as the other girl purposefully leaned her chest against Ren. The student council president didn’t consider herself a violent person, but right now, she wanted to flip Ann over her shoulder again. Right onto her stupid pretty face.

“You okay there Makoto?” Ryuji asked, grabbing some punch for him and Hifumi. “You look a little...heated.” He chose his phrasing carefully.

“I’m. Fine.” She said through gritted teeth. “Watch the punch bowl for me.” She got up and marched into the party in search of the blonde.

“Wait! But my date!” Ryuji called after her.

‘Ann wants to play dirty huh?’ Makoto thought to herself as she pushed through the crowd. ‘That’s fine.’

‘I can play dirty too.’

[Bonus]

As Takuto Maruki excused himself from the gymnasium, claiming he needed to use the restroom, he couldn’t stop himself from scratching the itch in his arm.

Why was it so damn itchy?

It was almost like the itch was under his skin, in his bones and muscle. And was it getting hotter in the school? Why did it suddenly feel like the temperature rose drastically? 

This itch!

He continued to scratch at it harder and harder until the skin was raw. But that wasn’t enough. It felt like the itch was spreading now! Throughout the rest of his body! Like his insides were on fire.

“What...is...this?” He asked himself as he ran to his lab. Whatever it was, he had to examine it at once and find what was wrong. If it was something in his formula, then he could fix it...right?

When he finally reached his lab and slammed the door behind him, he began to scratch his entire body. It was like his skin needed to come off of him! Almost as if he was...shedding.

A clacking noise sounded as a small object hit the ground. Picking it up to examine, he held the object under the nearest light source. The object was flat and green with a diamond-like shape. Maruki had seen this kind of thing plenty of times when cleaning Iggy’s terrarium, but that couldn’t be right. Could it?

“A scale?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone says anything in the comments, I know I'll get a lot of shit for not making their Halloween costumes the Phantom Thief outfits, but I did my best to figure out what each character would wear based on their personalities and their personas. I mean, how was I supposed to get Makoto's costume in? What would she be, Mad Max biker girl? It just didn't make much sense to do that. And I know some people wanted Ren to be Joker or Arsene or Raoul, but he needs to be in his Spider-Man suit for story reasons. What did you guys think of the chapter? Did the rivalry between Makoto and Ann seem sudden? I kinda wanted it to be something that's been building up in the background and now that they have a great opportunity to go out with him, they both want to seize it. (Not to mention Makoto is canonically very competitive.) Oh yeah, and Maruki is the Lizard. Until next time!


	93. Chapter 93

[124]

Ren found himself wandering through the party alone, Ann had disappeared at some point without a word, leaving him a bit worried but he knew she could take care of herself. As he walked around aimlessly, admiring the work he and the others had put into decorations and entertainment, he accidentally bumped into another person.

“Sorry about that!” He apologized. “I wasn’t looking where I was…” He trailed off as he noticed the person in front of him.

“Senpai?” Sumire’s eyes widened in surprise.

It had been a while since the two of them spoke to each other, Ren had done something that had apparently offended the girl and caused her to cease all contact with him. Seeing her now, Ren realized he’d never noticed how pretty the girl was when she wasn’t constantly hiding herself. Dressed as what appeared to be Little Red Riding Hood, Sumire looked beautiful with her hair down and her glasses off, though her usual shyness was still present.

“Um, hi.” He waved awkwardly. “H-How’ve you been?”

“G-Good…” Sumire replied, looking away with red cheeks. “I...I like your c-costume.”

“Thanks.” Ren replied back, unsure of what else to say. “Can...Can I ask-”

“Sumi, come on!” Kasumi appeared next to her sister, dressed as Cinderella. “If we don’t hurry then...Oh, it’s you.” She turned to Ren, a look of disgust on her face. As she looked him up and down in his costume, her scowl deepened but her cheeks grew slightly red as well. “You don’t look anything like the real one.”

“I’m sorry?” Ren raised an eyebrow.

“Spider-Man. He’s waaay taller and buffer. You look ridiculous in that outfit.”

“I see…” Ren stifled a laugh. Did...Did Kasumi have a crush on Spider-Man? That was kind of hilarious.

“C’mon Sumi!” The girl grabbed her more passive twin’s arm and dragged her away. “Let’s ditch this loser.”

“B-But Kasumi!” Her sister protested, but eventually obliged and was dragged off.

‘Huh.’ Ren thought. ‘I wonder where they were off to? Maybe the same place Ann went?’ He wondered. Before he could search for the blonde however, he saw another figure he recognized standing by themselves.

Deciding to approach, he struck up a conversation with her. “I’m surprised you're not wearing your maid outfit. That would’ve been an interesting costume.”

“Wha-” Kawakami turned to the student in shock, eyes wide and mouth agape. Realizing who it was talking to her, she calmed down for a moment before looking at him angrily and pulling him aside. “You cannot talk about that here! Understand? I could lose my job!”

Seeing his mistake, he apologized, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. The two stood in an awkward silence before Ren finally worked up the nerve to speak again.

“So...What is it you’re dressed up as exactly? I can’t really tell.” He looked at her costume which was a simple black dress with a deep v-neck.

“Morticia Addams.” She said as if it were obvious. When Ren showed no signs of recognition, she elaborated. “The Addams Family?”

“No idea.” He responded. “Well...you look great. Wait, is that weird to say to a teacher?”

Kawakami sighed and put her face to her palm. “At this point I don’t even know. Our relationship is too weird. Do not tell anyone I said that!”

“No problem. You know me, I’ve been on thin ice with the school since day one.” He half-joked.

“Yeah…” Kawakami looked away, feeling somewhat guilty. “Thanks again for your help the other day. You have no idea how much that helped me.”

“Sure thing, I’m glad to have helped you.” He replied. “But if this is a regular problem for you, I think you should tell people. Try to get the help you need, even if it’s just advice.” He said with an innocent smile.

‘Dammit!’ Kawakami thought. ‘Why is my heart racing? He’s a student. My student! I’m not supposed to feel like...like this!’

As the boy walked off to rejoin the party, the teacher called out to him before he left.

“Hey Amamiya!” The boy looked at her curiously. “I...You look good in your costume too.” She said shyly. The boy smiled and nodded before leaving to presumably rejoin his friends, leaving Kawakami by herself. “Ugh, I need a drink.”

As Ren continued to wander aimlessly, he was caught off guard when an arm suddenly wrapped around his own and a body pressed against his side. When he turned to see who it was next to him, he was shocked to see the last girl he’d expect.

“Makoto?” He asked in disbelief. “What are you doing? Aren’t you still on concessions duty?”

“It’s fine.” She responded, smiling up at him. “I found a replacement. So, since neither of us is busy, why don’t we enjoy the party together?” She asked, pressing her chest against his arm.

Sweating nervously, and with a blush forming on his cheeks, Ren nodded nervously. The two joined in the festivities together and enjoyed a variety of food and games around the party. Though throughout all of it, Ren couldn’t take his eyes off of Makoto, for some reason she seemed different than usual. Leaning against his arm at every opportunity, playing with her hair and acting unusually ditzy.

“Makoto.” Ren suddenly stopped, surprising the girl. “What’s going on?”

“W-What do you mean?” She played dumb, looking away. “We’re hanging out at the dance together.”

“No I mean, why are you acting like this? Like...Well, like Ann.”

“Ren, what are you talking about? I’m being my usual self. Maybe it’s just that you’ve never seen me at a party before?” She suggested. “I’ve been told I’m a bit of a ‘party animal'.” She lied. In truth, she was acting this way because it was the only way she could think of to get close to him. It worked with Ann, so why not her?

“I don’t know if I believe that.” Ren said skeptically. “Besides, I prefer the real you. The one who’s uptight but fun. The one who looks out for her friends almost like a mom. The one who can easily kick my ass in a fight. The one I know and love.”

“W-Wait…” Her face flushed. “L-L-Love? What do you mean by-” 

“MAKOTO NIIJIMA!” Her sentence was interrupted by a loud voice calling her name. All heads in the gymnasium turned to see who was shouting, only to find Ann Takamaki looking very angry.

“Ann?” Ren questioned as the girl stomped toward the two of them.

“Now hold on Ann, I can explain…” The brunette backed away, looking guilty and afraid.

“Explain what!?” Ann yelled aggressively. “That you had Yusuke lock me in the girl’s bathroom!?” Turning towards the crowd staring at her, she grew even angrier. “What are you all looking at!?”

Immediately, everyone turned back to what they were doing out of fear of the enraged blonde. Not wanting to draw a crowd again, Ren ushered the two girls to the corner of the room so that they could have some privacy away from prying ears.

“Okay, what is going on?” Ren demanded, looking between the two girls.

“She started it!” They both pointed to one another.

“What!? Me?” Ann was baffled. “What did I do to you?”

“You ditched your post to spend time with Ren!” Makoto yelled back. “You sabotaged me!”

“Sabotage? You said you were fine with me asking him out!” Ann accused the other girl. “You said you didn’t feel that way about him!”

“Well I lied! I do like him! Okay? I...I just couldn’t say it until now!” She turned to Ren. “I like you! I’ve liked you since we started studying together! Y-You opened me up to things outside of school a-and changed my world!” Her face became so red she couldn’t take it and had to look down. “A-And I think I might be in love with you!”

“You...love me?” Ren was shocked. His heart was racing and his face was nearly as red as Makoto’s. Before he could say anything else in response, Ann intruded.

“Hey! That isn’t fair!” She protested. “I love him too!”

This also came as a shock to Ren. The boy felt like he’d just been punched in the gut twice in a row. And somewhere, out in the gymnasium, Morgana felt a chill run down his spine and a sudden feeling of hopelessness come over him.

“I’ve liked you since the first day of school!” Ann confessed to Ren. “When we were standing together out in the rain! And when you came with me to visit Shiho in the hospital! And when you saved me...from Kamoshida.” She recalled the memory sadly, tears flowing from her eyes. “All of those times we were together...they made me fall for you!”

“Ann…” Ren looked at the crying girl, then over to the one blushing so hard, she couldn’t face him. “Makoto…” Both of these girls, his friends, had just bore their souls out to him. What was he supposed to do? If he chose one the other would be heartbroken. And, if he was being honest with himself, he couldn’t choose one to begin with.

As he tried to think, his brain was suddenly overcome by a feeling of alarm. His spider-sense! Something was wrong, people were in danger!

He looked out over the party but saw nothing out of the ordinary, just teenagers dancing together. As he looked out over the party, he felt it. He felt where the danger was coming from, out in the hallway, northeast of the gym. Had his spider-sense always been this accurate? He couldn’t determine the direction of danger before, just the danger itself. So why was it stronger now? Could it mean a stronger threat?

Turning back to the two girls in front of him, they both looked at him expectantly yet fearful, both afraid that he’d choose the other instead of them. When they saw the alarm on his face however, those looks shifted to ones of concern.

“Something’s wrong.” Ren said softly. “I...I need to go. If I’m not back in 2 minutes, get everyone out of here. Got it?” He didn’t wait for a response as he pushed his way through the crowd, slipping on his mask as he exited the gym, ignoring the two girl’s calling after him.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, two students were locked in an embrace, finally releasing their pent up feelings for one another. The two of them had had a budding romance over the course of their high school years together and tonight was the night they would finally go all the way!

“Daisuke...” The girl said her lover’s name as he kissed her neck, trying to unhook her bra.

“Yeah Hikari?” Daisuke replied, fumbling with the clips on the back.

“Are you sure this is the best place to do this?” She asked. “What if we get caught?”

“No one’s gonna catch us. They’re all in the gym, they won’t come out for hours.” He reassured her, still struggling.

“Doooo you need some help there?” She asked, getting a little impatient with her boyfriend.

“No! I’ve got this! I just need to-” He stopped as the sound of loud slow footsteps began echoing through the halls.

“Shit!” Hikari whispered. “Someone’s coming!”

“I know!” Daisuke replied, pushing away from the girl. “Just act natural, we don’t wanna get busted!”

The loud footsteps grew heavier as they neared the couple, to the point that each one made the floor tremble. The two watched in fear as the shadow of a large figure appeared on the wall across from them right before the figure itself came into view.

Large, easily 8 feet tall, and covered in green scales with a shredded lab coat and purple pants over its legs and torso, the reptilian figure before them was terrifying to behold. When it’s yellow eyes with vertical pupils turned in their direction, the creature sniffed the air and began stalking towards the two, it’s mouth opening to reveal dozens of razor sharp teeth and a long slobbery tongue.

“Whoa! N-Nice c-costume man.” Daisuke said as he and Hikari began to back away. “Y-You’re a shoowin for the costume competition.”

“Y-Yeah,” Hikari chimed in. “Y-You should go sh-show it off in the gym. Th-That way.” She pointed in the opposite direction.

The Lizard however, completely ignored their words as he stalked forward toward his prey, his 4 foot tail dragging behind him as his clawed feet scraped the floor. As the seconds dragged on, the reptilian monster began to close the distance between himself and the two shivering teens. Too scared to make any sudden movements, the couple was quickly approaching the end of the hallway, and when that happened, they were done for.

“Hikari.” Daisuke said, his voice quivering. “I’m gonna rush this thing. When I do, I need you to get out of here.”

“What?” She turned to the boy. “But Daisuke…”

“Forget about me, just get to safety. Okay?”

“No! I won’t leave you to die!” Hikari protested.

“Now’s not the time for that!” He yelled back just as the two of them hit the wall behind them. “On the count of three.” He prepared himself. “One...Two…”

Just before he could finish, the lizard creature was suddenly smashed into the lockers to its left by a smaller black and red figure.

“Spider-Man!” The couple cheered as they witnessed their savior hold the beast down.

“This thing isn’t human!” He warned. “Get out of here NOW!” He ordered them as the reptile began to get back up.

The two immediately raced past him and back to the gymnasium just before the monster got back up and knocked Spider-Man off of it with its tail. When it stood back up on its feet, Ren witnessed the creature at full size and knew he was in trouble. That never stopped him before, and it definitely wouldn’t stop him now. 

Ren decided to begin his attack with a rapid fire of webs, attempting to restrain the creature from a distance. When he reached for his webshooter to set the dial however, he was surprised to find nothing there.

‘Oh right.’ He remembered. ‘I left them at home. I didn’t want my costume being too real that it raised suspicion.’ He mentally slapped himself for being such an idiot.

As if sensing his fear, the Lizard quickly seized his opportunity and lunged at Ren, snapping at him with its powerful jaw, only for him to jump out of the way by clinging to the ceiling. The Lizard continued forward, crashing into the wall and getting a mouthful of concrete.

“Alright tough guy.” Ren hopped down from the ceiling before charging up his fists for a venom strike. “Been a while since I’ve had a good fist fight.” The creature turned around and snapped it’s jaw closed, crushing the concrete into dust.

Without another word, the two charged at each other and leapt into battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Spider-Man vs The Lizard begins! Hope you liked the character interactions this chapter, I try to make them as compelling as I can while featuring quite a few. If you're wondering where the names Daisuke and Hikari come from, when I need named characters from the game to fill small roles, I look up Mementos targets from the game, so it's not really a reference or an easter egg, just a filler name. I gave Ren a handicap for this fight because I think it'll make it more interesting to visualize plus it mixes things up from the usual formula. As for the Lizard, in this story he's going to be the physically strongest opponent Ren has faced yet, with strength just short of The Rhino's, so it'll be a very hard fight for Ren. Also, I want to make it clear that this is based on the comics version of the Lizard, so if the only one you know is from the movie, look up the comic one. He doesn't have human intelligence, he doesn't have a plan, and he doesn't have that god awful CGI face from the movie. He looks like a big humanoid crocodile in a lab coat and is just an animal with predatory instincts. That's about it for now. Until next chapter!


	94. Chapter 94

[125]

“Duuuude, this movie sucks!” One boy turned to his friend while the two watched the old movie clips on the projector playing in the gym. “The rubber suit looks terrible!”

“Yeah man, the special effects aged so badly!” The friend responded.

The movie the two were criticizing was the classic 1954 Godzilla. As the iconic theme played and the movie’s namesake came onto screen, the projection was interrupted when two figures came crashing through the wall. One of the figures, a giant green lizard had its tail wrapped around the other figure, Spider-Man’s throat as the two battled it out.

“Holy shit!” One of the boys cried as everyone present began to rush from the scene toward the nearest exits.

When he and the monster landed on the gym floor, Ren made it a priority to keep the Lizard’s attention on him, allowing the building to evacuate safely. Luckily, it didn’t seem that that would be an issue as he’d clearly royally pissed this thing off and it had no intentions of letting him walk out of here.

‘Okay, let’s think this through.’ Ren thought as he and the creature paced around one another. ‘The things to look out for are its claws, teeth, and that tail. After fighting it for just a minute I can already tell I’m outmatched in strength and defense, not to mention that despite its size, this thing is pretty fast and agile. Large reptiles tend to be apex predators of their domains, so I can’t really think of any obvious weaknesses to exploit.’

“If only Dr. Maruki were here.” He sighed to himself. Maybe he would have an idea on what to do.

“Re-err...Spider-Man!” Ren heard Makoto’s voice call from his side. “What can we do to help?”

“Run! Just run! I can handle this!” He called back, making the mistake of turning away for a moment.

The Lizard seized the opportunity and lunged at Ren, attempting to dig its teeth into his neck only to be blocked at the last moment by his left arm. As the sharp teeth dug into his skin, he felt the bones in his forearm crunch under the powerful bite and splinter into several pieces. Desperate to be released from the creature’s vice grip, Ren charged up his right fist with bioelectricity and punched the Lizard directly in the eye.

Screeching in pain, it’s jaws loosened enough for the hero to pull himself free, thankfully without tearing his arm off in the process. Ungracefully landing on his back, Ren quickly surveyed the damage done to his left arm. It was broken, mangled, and bleeding badly with several teeth still stuck in it and definitely unusable for the remainder of the fight, but still attached and that was good enough for him.

The Lizard didn’t take long to recover, standing back up and licking the blood from its mouth before turning to Ren. The gym was empty now, save for the two of them, which gave Ren an opportunity to try a surprise attack. Turning himself invisible, he picked himself up before crawling up the nearest wall. Now above the creature, he leapt down for a surprise kick to the head, the strongest kick he could muster in hopes of knocking the Lizard out. That was the plan anyway, however when he got into range, he was shocked when a claw reached out and caught his leg out of the air.

Reptiles have a wide array of incredible capabilities, including a wide array of senses that outclassed humans. Their vision outclasses humans by a long shot, being able to see in ultraviolet and infrared. And their tongues were capable of ‘tasting’ the air to see their surroundings in even greater detail. By all means, they are created to hunt and kill their prey. Truly an amazing and terrifying specimen.

Maruki’s lessons flashed through Ren’s mind as the creature held him in front of its gaping jaw. Did he ever have a chance against this thing? He wondered as he felt his leg be crushed in its strong grip. As the beast slowly brought him closer to its mouth, Ren noticed the nametag on the side of its lab coat that read ‘Dr. T. Maruki’ on it.

“D-Doc?” Ren asked, but the creature showed no signs of recognition.

Of course this was Maruki! How had he not seen it before? The lab coat, the sudden appearance of the creature, and if anyone in the school were to turn themselves into a giant lizard, it would probably be the man who studied them for a living. 

“Oh Doc...What did you do to yourself?” He asked the Lizard as it brought him closer.

Just as it was going to bite down, both of them were caught off guard when the gym’s sprinkler system activated, dowsing them in a shower of cold water. Surprised and angered by the sudden change, Maruki let out a roar in anger. This was just the opportunity Ren needed however, using his free leg to kick the creature’s jaw closed and free himself from its grip.

Slapping against the wet gymnasium floor, Ren picked himself up and limped away from the beast as fast as he could, not fleeing in terror, but a tactical retreat to reassess the situation. He was going to bring this mad scientist down, even if it killed him, that was what he signed up for after all. And as he retreated, planning out his next move, one question kept coming up in his mind.

“Who pulled the fire alarm?”

Meanwhile, with Ren’s allies, the group had gathered in the school office and were watching the fight unfold through the school’s security cameras.

“This is bad guys.” Futaba said. “Ren’s getting his ass handed to him out there. He would’ve died if we hadn’t intervened just now. Good thinking on the sprinklers Haru.”

“What made you think of that anyways?” Ryuji asked.

“Well, reptiles are cold-blooded, so I figured if we hit him with cold water, he’d slow down.” Haru replied shyly. “I could only hope Ren would have enough strength to escape.”

“That was only a temporary fix though.” Makoto pointed out. “If we don’t think of something soon, Ren will…” A grimace appeared on her face.

“That won’t happen!” Ann shouted. “We won’t let it!”

“But what could we possibly do?” Yusuke asked. “If any of us tried to intervene we’d be cut to ribbons! Ren is the only one who could stand up to such a monster.”

“...”

“...”

“...Not necessarily.” Tae Takemi spoke up.

“What do you mean?” Makoto asked. “Is there something we can do to help?” 

Tae bit her lip, hesitant to elaborate.

“Takemi, if there’s something we can do you have to tell us!”

“It’s risky but...there might be something.” Tae stated. “...I’ll need to get to my office and grab it. Come with me.”

The group exited the room and hurried toward the nurse’s office where a supposed solution lied.

Back in the gymnasium, Ren was doing his best to avoid the Lizard’s attacks, dodging his slashes and bites while keeping away from his tail. But this strategy wouldn’t last forever, Ren was quickly losing stamina and couldn’t keep this up for long. He did notice however, that Maruki’s attacks were growing slower, either a product of him growing tired or…

‘The water! Of course!’ Ren thought. ‘That’s why they turned it on. If I can keep him busy long enough for the cold to take effect, then he should fall asleep! I just need to-’ His thought was interrupted as the sprinklers suddenly shut off, having reached their time limit.

“Shit.” Ren said before being swept aside by the Lizard’s tail, sending him flying into a nearby wall. “He may be *cough* a bit slower now...But he still hits like a damn truck.” His head rolled to the side, spotting a red cylindrical object next to him on the wall.

“That could work.”

Back with the others, after climbing to the third floor to reach Takemi’s office, the doctor reached into her desk and pulled out a small vial full of pink liquid. Walking back out to the others, she presented the vial to them and explained.

“This could be our way of beating him.” She said, admiring the tube.

“Uh Doc?” Ryuji asked. “I don’t think that thing is suffering from an upset stomach.”

Ignoring the comment, Takemi elaborated. “This serum was created from Ren’s cells during his mutation process. Theoretically, and I can’t stress that enough, theoretically if someone were injected with this, their DNA would mutate in a similar manner to his, giving them his abilities. And another problem, I only have enough for one dose.”

“Works for me.” Ann put her arm out. “Give me the shot.”

“Now hold on,” Takemi interjected. “There’s a lot of risk involved in this. This is untested and could very well have negative consequences. It could even kill you!”

“If it gives us a chance at saving Ren, then it’s worth the risk.” Ryuji rolled up his sleeve. “Give it to me. I’ll kick that lizard’s ass.”

“Hold on you two!” Makoto said. “We need to discuss this! Even if we’re willing to take the risk and even if it works the way it should, the one who receives this should be best suited to fight that thing, otherwise they could just get in Ren’s way!” She punctuated her sentence by putting out her own arm. “It should be me.”

“Oh and we’re just supposed to do whatever you say huh?” Ann interjected. “I don’t recall ever voting you to be leader.” The blonde became increasingly mad. “You aren’t the only one who can fight Makoto, I’ve been training too!”

“Ann! Now is not the time for this!” Makoto protested. “If we’re going to do this, we should put in our best fighter! That gives us the highest probability of success!”

“This is about more than numbers Makoto!” Ryuji intruded. “I’m the strongest one here! Not to mention, I’ve got the strongest immune system! There’s a risk that this shot could kill us, if anyone’s gonna survive it, it’ll be me!”

The trio continued to bicker as the others watched on, none of them having the courage or desire to intervene. Yusuke and Futaba believed themselves too weak, unable to make good use of the powers even if they got them. Morgana wasn’t a fighter and was honestly too scared of the risks posed by the serum. And Haru didn’t see herself as being qualified, believing that the other three were far better suited than her.

“STOP!” Takemi yelled, getting everyone’s attention. “So, it’s between the three of you then?” She turned to the others who shook their heads, expressing that they didn’t want it. Sighing, she held up the vial in front of her and expressed her dismay. “This serum was supposed to revolutionize medicine and save millions of lives.” 

That was the original plan, but as the battle in the gym progressed...No, as Ren’s career as Spider-Man progressed, it had become blatantly clear that Ren needed backup. Someone who could match his abilities and work by his side. A partner.

“...But right now, I’ll settle for saving one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's it going to be? I wonder...This is going to have some big changes in the story, and as we continue to approach the final act, things are going to keep changing drastically. Basically, in the grand scheme of things, if you were to divide this story into a 3 Act structure, the Middle Act is drawing to a close with this and the next arc begins the Final Act where a lot of big things are going to happen. So I hope you're all excited for that! Of course, no good story can last forever, so we will be drawing to a close sooner rather than later, but just know that I'm pouring so much time and effort (more than I probably should be, I am still a college student after all and have important shit I need to be doing) into this Final Act and hope to deliver a breathtaking ending for you all. Now that doesn't mean the story will be ending very soon, probably not for a couple months, but it will end. Also, I've just noticed that in 11 days, this story is going to be half a year old! Holy shit! I did not expect it to last this long, but I've been having such a great time with this that I've just had to keep writing more! Anyways, that's it for today. Until next time!


	95. Chapter 95

[126]

“Bad Lizard! Bad!” Ren swiped at the creature with a fire extinguisher, attempting to keep it at bay. Originally, his plan was to spray the Lizard down with the extinguisher, but in order to do that he would need two functioning arms, which was a problem at the moment. So instead, he was forced to use it as a makeshift bat against the creature.

‘Geez Maruki, I get why you were so desperate to get your arm back now!’ He thought as the doctor in question began to swipe at him with his claws.

As Ren attempted to swing the extinguisher down on the monster’s head, he was caught off guard when a slash from the creature tore into his chest and sent him onto the gym floor. Now on his back, the Lizard lunged down to bite his head off, only for his jaws to clamp down on the extinguisher as it was shoved into his mouth.

The mist of fire repellant exploded out of the pressurized tank, blasting cold air and metal shrapnel at the both of them. The Lizard was little more than inconvenienced by the metal shards in its skin as the wounds quickly healed themselves. Ren, on the other hand, nearly died as a large shard flew next to his face, narrowly cutting his cheek and damaging his mask.

When the reptilian scientist spat out the now spent extinguisher, he turned back to his prey with a furious expression, seemingly even more intent on killing him than before.

“Maruki!” Ren addressed the doctor, trying to appeal to the man inside. “Please, don’t do this! I know you! You’re a good person! If you’re in there, fight this! Fight it!”

The creature blinked at him, confused by the words and hesitating for just a moment. It was short lived however, as the creature let out a roar and raised its claw to finish him off. Ren shut his eyes in anticipation for the end, thoughts of his friends going through his mind as he awaited death.

‘Sorry guys, I wasn’t strong enough. Ann, Makoto, I’m sorry I never got to respond to you both with how I felt. I loved you both so much…”

As he awaited his death, he was surprised when no pain ever came. Carefully opening one of his eyes, he witnessed the Lizard struggling to strike him. Not because it was hesitating but because someone was restraining his arm. As the figure pulled the Lizard back and off of Ren, he was shocked by who it was and baffled as to how they did it.

“H-How did you-!?”

5 Minutes earlier:

“I won’t let anyone else here take the risk!” Makoto yelled. “I’m your senior and I say it should be me.”

“You don’t have any say over what I get to do with my life!” Ann argued. “We’re wasting too much time arguing! Ren is dying down there and needs our help!”

“Fuck this!” Ryuji pushed past the two of them, going for the syringe containing the serum. “I’m not gonna let my best bro die because two girls were fighting over him!” As he reached out for the syringe, he was suddenly pinned against the wall by an angry Ann.

“You wanna try saying that again?” She asked as she twisted his arm behind his back.

“Sorry! I’m sorry!” He pleaded as his arm bent in a way it shouldn’t be able to.

“Good, now back to-” She turned her gaze back to the others just in time to see Makoto jam the needle into her arm.

“You were right Ann.” Makoto looked over to the girl. “We are wasting time.” She pushed the plunger down and injected the serum into herself. When the syringe emptied, the girl turned to Takemi and asked how long it would take for it to take effect.

“Not long. This will spread a lot faster than a spider-bite so I’d estimate it will only take mere minutes for the changes to begin.” The doctor explained.

“Makoto!” Ann yelled angrily. “I can’t believe you just did that!”

“Is it going to hurt?” Makoto turned back to Tae looking somewhat worried, now grasping the weight of what she’d just done.

“Well, if it works like it should, your body is about to be torn apart and reconstructed on a cellular level. Your very DNA is in the midst of altering as we speak, the process that took days for Ren is about to happen inside of you in mere minutes. If I had to compare it to anything I’d say it’d be like undergoing surgery while still conscious. So in short, yes it is going to hurt very much.” Takemi said bluntly.

“But with the strength it gives me, I can save Ren. Right?” Makoto replied, already looking sickly.

“If you can stay conscious that is.” Takemi added, looking at the girl in concern.

“That won’t be a problem!” Makoto shuffled toward the stairs clutching at her gut. “I need to get to the gym!”

Now:

“Makoto!?” Ren asked in astonishment, watching the girl restrain the giant lizard. “H-How are you doing that!?”

“Nevermind that!” Makoto responded, struggling against the Lizard’s strength. “Use this opening! Knock him out!”

Tae hadn’t lied, Makoto’s body felt like it was on fire! Her reforming muscles ached, feeling like needles across her skin, her body begged her to stop. But she couldn’t. If she stopped now, that would be it for Ren and for her. The Lizard would eat them both and all of this would be for nothing.

“I won’t let you hurt him!” She cried, using all the strength she could muster to hold the monster back.

Ren didn’t waste this opportunity, charging up his hands with all the bioelectricity he could muster. Struggling to lift his broken and bloody left arm, he placed both hands on the Lizard’s face, unleashing the largest venom blast he could manage.

“AHH!” He screamed as he unleashed all he could on the creature.

The blast took effect, frying the Lizard and causing him to cease his struggling. Luckily, Makoto was unharmed by the blast, having released her grip just before Ren struck. Now lying on the floor, she’d taken all the pain she could before finally losing consciousness.

Ren wasn’t in much better shape himself, no longer able to stand after using the last of his energy in that attack. His left arm was in shambles, his right leg was bleeding profusely, and the gash on his chest was pretty deep. Despite all of this, Ren wasn’t in pain at all which definitely wasn’t a good sign. As he looked up at the Lizard standing unmoving above him, Ren began to worry that he’d killed the monster and thus the doctor within it.

That fear wouldn’t last long however, they would instead be replaced with a different fear when the beast took a step forward.

“No…” Ren murmured in horror. How could that not be enough? How could it still be conscious after that?

The Lizard took another step forward, and another, before finally collapsing to the ground. A wave of relief rushed across Ren when it finally fell, signifying the end of the fight. As it lay on the ground, the creature began to shrink, slowly morphing back into the doctor it once was.

“Dr. Maruki…” Ren let out a sigh of relief, glad to see the man alive, even if he’d just tried to eat him.

“R-Ren…?” The doctor looked up, weak but conscious.

“How-” Ren’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t find the strength to check if his mask was on.

“Your voice.” Maruki explained. “I heard it while I was in that...thing.” He let out a sigh. “Did...Did I hurt anyone?” He asked, fearing the answer.

“Just me.” Ren let out a small laugh before immediately regretting it. “Everyone got out. I made sure.”

“...I’m sorry Ren.” Maruki said as he began to tear up. “I’m so sorry that I did this. My formula...I was too impatient and people nearly died because of it.”

“It’s not your fault Doc…” He reassured the man. “You wanted to change the world.”

“That’s...That wasn’t why I did it Ren. I’m more selfish than you think I am. I-I just wanted to save her.” He wiped his tears with his left arm, the other one having faded with his transformation. “All of this, it was all to save Rumi…”

By now Ren could hear the voices of his friends as they ran to his aid, but they were muddled and fading. Before he knew it, his vision had faded to black and he quickly slipped into unconsciousness.

When he finally woke up, Ren found himself in the nurse’s office with bandages across his stomach and his arm in a cast. When he turned his head to the right, he spotted Makoto lying in the bed next to his, still unconscious and being fed with an IV drip. To his left, Dr. Maruki was awake and explaining himself to the rest of the group who looked rightfully pissed.

“As a fellow doctor,” Tae stated. “I can’t condone your actions. Though…” She turned her head over to Makoto’s unconscious form. “I can’t say I’m not guilty of something similar.” As her gaze fell on Ren, she noticed that the boy’s eyes were open. “Ren!”

The others gathered around the hero’s bedside, glad to see him awake.

“Dude!” Ryuji cried, wrapping his arms around his best friend. “I thought we lost you bro!”

“I’m fine.” Ren managed to get out. “But not for long if you keep squeezing me.” Ryuji realized his mistake and quickly released him. “So...Does anyone want to explain to me what happened?”

The group gave him the rundown, explaining Dr. Maruki’s side of the story. About how BARF transformed him into that giant creature and how he lost control from there, having hazy memories up until the end of the fight. From there, they explained the situation with Makoto, the serum containing his cells and how it gave her the strength to join the fight in time to save his life.

“So…” Ren looked over to the unconscious girl. “She’s like me now?”

“We can’t know for sure.” Tae explained. “After all, you have abilities different from Yu Narukami. It’s possible that her abilities could differ from yours too. We won’t know until she wakes up.” The doctor then turned her attention back to Ren. “You should be more worried about yourself though. You’ve got shattered bones in your arm and leg, not to mention severe lacerations across your whole body thanks to this guy.” She pointed her thumb at Maruki.

“Sorry...again.” The doctor rubbed his neck sheepishly.

“Speaking of the good doctor.” Ann spoke up. “What are we gonna do with him?”

Maruki seemed confused by the question. “You’re turning me into the police aren’t you? I nearly killed several students!”

“You weren’t the one in control.” Futaba stated, looking at the floor shyly. “I...I don’t think you should be punished for what someone else did in your body.”

“Futaba…” Ren muttered, memories of his encounters with Wakaba playing in his head.

“But what can we do?” Yusuke asked. “The police are already outside. It’s only a matter of time before they find us in here. What do we tell them?”

The group was silent, contemplating their next move. What would they say to the police? What would they do with Maruki? They didn’t have long to decide. Finally, Ren spoke up.

“Dr. Maruki.” He turned to the man. “You said you were creating BARF to help someone in particular. Rumi?”

A sad look crossing the man’s face, he nodded his head. “My fiance. She’s in the hospital. The accident that took my arm,” He held up his stub. “Caused her severe damage to her brain and nervous system, irreparable damage by the limits of modern medicine. She’s in a coma now.” He said sadly. “That’s why I began work on BARF, to try to repair the damage that’d been done to her. It was meant to do more than just repair limbs, if it worked correctly, it could repair any injury and reset the body to a healthy state.”

The others looked down, ashamed of their earlier criticism toward the scientist. He was doing all of this to save the woman he loved.

“But I guess, yet again, I was too careless. Too impatient.” He looked down. “And I only ended up doing more harm than good.”

“...”

“...”

“What if…” Ren spoke up. “What if you had more time? Do you think you could perfect it? Could you make BARF work the way it was intended?”

“Wha-” Maruki looked up in surprise. “I-I suppose? I...I could look over my notes and-”

“Yes or no?” Ren asked impatiently.

“...Yes.” Maruki nodded confidently, a serious look in his eyes.

“Then I say we let him continue his research.” Ren suggested to the group.

“Huh? But Ren-” Tae began to protest.

“Tonight already cost us one world changing medicine.” He looked over to Makoto. “It shouldn’t cost us two.”

“Even so, what about the attack?” Morgana asked. “What are we supposed to tell the police?”

“We don’t know what happened. Simple as that.” Ren stated. “A giant lizard attacked, we don’t know why or from where.” He looked over at Futaba. “Can you delete the security footage?”

“Already on it.” The girl responded, pulling out her phone.

“You guys!” Maruki looked at the others. “I-I don’t deserve this. I endangered lives! I should be punished!”

“Perfect your formula.” Haru interjected. “Save millions of lives. Commit yourself to that. That’s your punishment.” She turned to the others who nodded in support.

“I...I…” Maruki choked up, astounded by the people in front of him.

“I’ll do it. I’ll save them all.”

[Bonus]

A week after the Halloween dance, Makoto and Ren sat in Yusuke’s tiny apartment, both sitting in wooden chairs, clad in just their underwear. Makoto had awakened the day after the party, only having a vague recollection of events, she had to have the situation reexplained to her. She was certainly stronger now, and was working on sticking to surfaces, but no other powers had been discovered as of yet.

“R-Remind me why we need to be undressed?” Makoto asked, blushing as she tried to cover herself.

“So that I can get the most accurate measurements possible. Your costumes must conform to your bodies perfectly!” Yusuke responded, holding a measuring tape around her arm. “Hold still! Your squirming only lengthens the process!”

“Aaaand why am I here?” Ren asked. “You’ve already got my measurements. Can’t you just repair my costume?”

“No.” Yusuke responded simply, not looking up from his work. “Since you insist on consistently destroying the costume I’ve made for you, Futaba and I have decided you are in need of a new and improved suit. And for that, I must retake your measurements.”

“Oh, sweet!” Ren responded with a grin.

“Yes, yes it’s very nice.” Yusuke put his measuring tape away. “Excuse me for a moment, I need to grab my fabrics.” 

With that, he got up and exited the room, closing the door to his design studio behind him. Entering his bedroom, he began to search through his drawers to find the fabric he was looking for.

“Hmm. Maybe white with black and pink highlights?” He contemplated the design of Makoto’s new costume. “It must be light and breathable yet durable and protective. Ugh, the demands they make of me. I miss painting.”

As he continued to search for the right fabric to use, he was surprised when he heard a crash sound in the other room. Running back quickly, he slammed open the door to the design studio.

“Are you both alright!? I heard a-” He looked at the chairs to see they were both empty. Turning his gaze upward he saw two figures on the ceiling in the middle of what appeared to be an impromptu session of love making. “Marvelous…” He muttered.

“I must paint this!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, I busted my ass getting this chapter out in time! I had to start on this chapter later than I normally do cuz school, but I was too hooked while writing to call it a night. I hope you guys enjoyed this arc and welcome Makoto as the new spider-person! I know some of you expected me to pull the rug out from under you and make it a surprise pick, but I hope you enjoyed how this turned out anyways. Hope you look forward to the upcoming chapters!
> 
> Edit: For any of you comic fans wondering, yes Ren and Makoto are in the Spider-Man and Silk situation. For those of you who don't know, Spider-Man has an ally named Silk who got her powers from the same spider as him. As a result, the two of them possess pheromones that cause them to feel the compulsion to breed when they're around each other. Though in this story, there will be some caveats to that rule.


	96. Chapter 96

[127]

“How do you ‘accidentally’ have sex!?” Ann yelled angrily. “And on the ceiling!?”

Makoto, Ann, Futaba, Haru, and Takemi were sitting together in Leblanc, discussing Makoto and Ren’s...incident yesterday in Yusuke’s apartment. Needless to say, the other women of the group were shocked, unable to believe that the two teens would do something so risque.

“I don’t know!” Makoto replied, frantically trying to explain herself. “One minute we were just sitting together, waiting for Yusuke to come back and the next we couldn’t stop ourselves! It was like we were different people!”

“Well,” Ann crossed her arms and slumped back in her seat. “Congratulations, I guess. You win. Ren’s all yours.” Her lower lip began to quiver and a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

“Ann…” Makoto looked at her friend’s heartbroken expression, feeling immense guilt in her gut.

“Here you go.” Haru set down Ann’s plate of curry in front of her before turning to Makoto. “And here you-oops!” The girl made a show of dropping the brunette’s plate on the floor, letting the contents spill out. “My bad.” She said, her smile never leaving her face. Getting up from his spot on the counter, Ren’s cat began to lick up the mess. “Maurice will clean that up. I’ll go make you another one.”

Giving the fluffy haired girl a look of confusion, Makoto turned back to Ann. “Look, I wasn’t trying to steal him away! I didn’t ‘win’ anything! What happened between Ren and I was...weird. It wasn’t love, it was primal and involuntary.” The girls widened their eyes and stared at her. “N-Not involuntary in that sense!” She clarified. “We were both very involved. Uh, I mean...it was like a reflex! Like we had to do it!”

“I don’t need to hear the details!” Ann covered her ears.

“Speak for yourself!” Futaba replied, eating a bag of chips as she listened intently. “This sounds hot!”

“Futaba!” Ann scolded the girl.

Meanwhile, the boys of the group were nearby at the batting cages, having their own discussion about yesterday’s events. While normally they and the others would be in school today, the events at the dance caused it to shut down indefinitely.

“So? How was it?” Ryuji asked curiously, watching while Ren took his turn at bat. “With Makoto I mean. I don’t mean to pry, but superhero sex sounds like it’s on another level.”

“Don’t pretend you even know what regular sex is like Sakamato.” Morgana chimed in.

“Shuddup!” Ryuji defended. “Like you’re one to talk!”

“It was...intense.” Ren admitted. “I honestly can’t say who initiated it, I think we were both just compelled to.”

“And you wouldn’t stop for even a moment for me to sketch the two of you.” Yusuke added, disgruntled. “It could’ve been a masterpiece!”

“Uh...How long did you watch us for exactly?” Ren asked, turning to the artist.

“Why, until it was over of course.” Yusuke said as if it were obvious. “I must say, you both were quite admirable! One could almost feel the power behind each thrust and-”

“DUDE!” Ryuji stopped him. “I wanted details but not like that! Do you seriously have no concept of boundaries!?”

“Well to be fair, they were in my home and I had only left for a moment.” 

“Yeah...Sorry about that.” Ren rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before getting hit in the back by a baseball.

As Ryuji got up to take his turn at bat, he spotted the smug grin on Morgana’s face.

“What’s got you feelin’ all cocky?” He asked the younger boy.

“Well, since Makoto’s with Ren now, Lady Ann is on the market again. Not to mention heartbroken, so when I come swooping in to save her from her sadness, she’ll have to go out with me!”

“You’re never gonna stop barking up that tree, are you?” Ryuji shook his head in pity.

“And Makoto and I aren’t ‘together’ now.” Ren added. “We both agreed that what happened was a strange circumstance that we would look into before progressing our relationship.”

Back with the girls, Makoto was still trying to explain her actions to the others.

“Sounds to me like you were in heat.” Takemi replied, absentmindedly stirring her coffee.

“Huh?” Everyone turned to her.

Realizing that they didn’t understand, Takemi elaborated. “In nature, animals of the opposite sex feel a strong compulsion to breed every now and then. When that happens they release pheromones that put others of their species ‘in the mood’ so to speak. The two of you were alone, disrobed, in a small room together, it seems only natural that would happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case between you two, you are the first ‘Spider-Woman’ after all.”

“See!” Makoto pointed to the doctor. “I was right! Can’t say I’m crazy about that name though.” She added.

“So?” Ann folded her arms. “Even if neither of you meant to, you still did it. And that just proves that eventually, you two will do it again!”

“Ann, I had no idea this was going to happen as a result of that serum, you didn’t either. But honestly, it doesn’t feel right to leave things like this between us. You’re my friend! And as strong as my feelings for Ren are...I think it’s only fair that you get your shot too.”

“Huh?” Ann’s composure broke for a moment. “W-What are you talking about?”

“Whoever Ren chooses, I think it should be done fairly. So…” The student council president tapped her fingers together nervously. “I guess, if we each took him out on a date, then he could decide who it is he feels stronger about.”

“Wait, for real!? Y-You’re serious?” Ann was shocked.

“Yes. And whoever he chooses…” She hesitated, biting her lip for a moment. “I’m willing to accept the result.” 

As Makoto finished speaking, Haru set another plate of curry in front of her, thankfully not dropping this one. Eyeing the food for a moment, she looked up at the girl strangely.

“Um, Haru?” Makoto asked. “D-Did I do something to offend you?”

“Whatever do you mean?” The girl in question asked with a smile, one that was clearly only skin deep.

“Well it’s just…” She looked down at the plate in front of her. “There was the plate from earlier and now...you seem to have served me curry with cat fur in it.”

“Oh did I?” Haru’s expression was unphased. “My mistake.”

“She’s mad at you cuz she’s crushing on Ren too.” Futaba chimed in, munching on more chips.

“What!?” Makoto and Ann turned to the girl in question who gasped in surprise, shocked to hear her secret was out.

“Y-You too Haru!?” Makoto asked.

“...Yes.” She murmured, staring at the floor. “I-I like him too. H-He helped me out a lot with...everything that’s been going on. He’s so kind and gentle. And before I knew it, I’d fallen for him as well. I’m sorry…”

“Haru…” Makoto stood up, hugging the other girl. “I’m the one who should be sorry, I...I didn’t even think of you. I thought it was just Ann and I who harbored feelings for Ren.”

From their seats, Takemi and Futaba subtly coughed and looked away. In her office at the police station, Naoto Shirogane let out a sudden sneeze. In a tiny apartment across the city, Sadayo Kawakami did the same. And somewhere across the country, Sumire Yoshizawa sneezed in the middle of her gymnastics routine, causing her to fall mid-vault.

“I-It’s fine. Sorry I was so passive aggressive, I just don’t really know what to do about these pent up feelings.” Haru apologized, looking ashamed of herself.

“Well, sounds to me like this just became a three-way competition.” Takemi smiled, crossing her legs as she took a sip of coffee.

“Heh, nice.” Futaba chuckled.

“What?” Haru looked surprised. “N-No, I couldn’t possibly-”

“Hey,” Ann got up from her seat and joined in the hug. “You’re our friend too. It’s only fair that we give you your chance.”

“Y-You guys…” Haru began to tear up and reciprocated the hug.

“Whaddup girls?” Ryuji asked as he and the guys entered the cafe. “Whoa, what’s goin’ on?”

“Ren!” Ann addressed the boy in question.

“Huh?” Ren was confused, afraid that he was in trouble.

“You. Me. Date. Tonight. Got it?” She asked, placing her hands on her hips. From behind the group of boys, Morgana fell to his knees and cried out.

“NOOOOO!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You. Me. Gas station. What are we getting? Sushi of course! Anyways, had to post this chapter earlier than usual because I'm busy tonight. Hope you guys still see it. There's gonna be some downtime before the next arc so I figure I'm gonna put some harem stuff in between now and then, seems appropriate with Valentine's Day coming up (Not like I've got better things to do.) I know I set it up for just Ann, Makoto, and Haru, but you should probably expect some other moments as well. Nobody told me writing a harem would be this hard! How do you justify this kind of situation without dehumanizing the girls involved? This shit is tough! I'm not super sure on writing lemons, but I guess if enough of you guys want it I could try? That's about it for now. Until next time!


	97. Chapter 97

[128]

“What do you think? Too casual?” Ren asked as he posed in front of the mirror in his room. His current attire was a white dress shirt and black sports coat with a loose red tie, jeans, complemented by the same old red sneakers he’d gotten from the second-hand shop.

“Mrow.” Came Maurice’s response as he briefly looked up from licking himself.

“You’re right. It’s Ann, she won’t expect anything formal. This is just a laid back date between two friends.” He said that, but his pounding heart begged to differ. 

When it came down to it, this was actually his first real date. Which was odd considering that he’d slept with two different women since coming to Tokyo, yet had been on zero dates. And now, apparently he’d been wrapped up in some kind of love...square? Did it still count as a square if all three other participants were into him?

“What has my life become?” Ren sighed. Right after, the bell at the front door jingled, indicating that Ann had arrived. “Oh! She’s here!” He gave himself one last onceover. “Does my hair look alright?” He turned back to his cat.

In response, the feline began choking before spitting up a hairball.

“Thanks Maurice, you always know just what to say.” He smiled before heading down the steps.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, his confidence in his appearance immediately shattered upon seeing Ann. On a normal day, the girl was a beauty, drawing the eye of many an interested guy or jealous girl, however tonight, Ann was drop dead gorgeous. Her hair, which was usually in pigtails, had been allowed to flow freely, sending golden waves down her shoulders and back. Her dress, which was a soft red color, flowed down her sides but still highlighted her curves nicely.

As Ren stared at the girl in awe, his mouth agape, Ann let out a playful giggle. “Face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot.” She said with a wink.

“I...I...uh.”

Looking him up and down, Ann smiled and wrapped her arm around his. “You look great! Let’s go, I’ve got the perfect place in mind.”

With that, the two of them exited the cafe and began their night out on the town, unaware that there was a third party observing them from the rooftops.

“Really Makoto?” Futaba’s voice came over the earpiece the brunette was wearing. “You just ‘happened’ to want to do a test run of your equipment tonight?”

“I told you Futaba, I have to get the hang of this stuff quickly if I’m going to be of any help Ren out in the field.” Makoto argued, swinging to the next nearest building.

The Shujin student council president was currently dressed in her prototype spider-suit, which was really just a white hoodie, black sweatpants, tennis shoes, and a surgical mask over her face. If it weren’t for the webshooters on her wrists, she would look like she was out for a late night jog.

“Uh huh.” Futaba replied skeptically, slurping instant noodles from behind her computer. “And I’m sure this has nothing to do with the fact that Ren and Ann are out on their date right now, or the fact that you’ve been tailing them for the past 4 blocks.”

“I’m-I’m not tailing them!” She denied. “We just happen to be going in the same direction is all!”

If it were up to Makoto, Futaba wouldn’t have any knowledge of this little ‘outing’ of her’s. Unfortunately, she needed to borrow the webshooters for this mission (she was pretty bad at tailing people on the ground) and since she didn’t own them herself, she came up with the excuse of an equipment test in order to follow Ren and Ann on their date.

It wasn’t that she was clingy! She just...wanted to know what she was up against. Know your enemy and all that. Not that Ann was her enemy just...ugh.

‘Why do things have to be so complicated?’

As she watched them go down into the subway tunnels, Makoto cursed silently, unable to follow.

“Hey uh, Makoto?” Futaba’s voice got her attention. “There might actually be something for you to do. There’s some chatter on police radio about Inokashira Park.”

“A villain?” Makoto perked up, ready for action.

“Uhh.”

“I’m on my way.” She stated, shooting out a webline to a nearby building.

Back on the ground, Ren and Ann had just boarded the subway to Shinjuku where Ann had made dinner reservations for the two of them at a fancy restaurant. Apparently being a model gave her connections with upper-class establishments like that.

“So, um...About dinner-” Ren began.

“Don’t even think of paying mister!” Ann interrupted. “I know you aren’t doing great financially and the last thing I want is for you to have more money problems because of me.”

“Ann, you don’t need to-”

“Nope. I won’t hear it.” She shook her head. “Tonight is my treat to you. You deserve it.”

“I don’t know about that.” Ren replied, but was cut-off before he could finish.

“Hey sweet cheeks. I like the dress.” An older man in a suit approached Ann from behind. “But I think I’d like you even better without it.”

“Hey! Why don’t you back off-” Ren began but was shushed by Ann as she turned to the man.

“Let me handle this.” She said with a smile.

“Here that? Looks like blondie’s lookin’ for a real-AGH!” The man cried out in pain as his wrist was twisted at an angle, forcing him to drop to one knee. When he got onto the ground Ann turned the man around and forced him away with her heel.

“Learned that one the other week.” Ann said proudly.

“Wow, you’re really taking to this self-defense stuff.” Ren commented, impressed by the display. “Did Makoto teach you that?”

“No!” Ann’s eyebrows furrowed, clearly angered. “I learned it myself. I’ve been studying judo and some aikido too.”

“Well, I know I’m safe tonight.”

“Damn right you are.” She gave a wink before the train came to a stop. “Oh, we’re here. C’mon, our reservations are for 8 o’clock, so we should hurry.” She grabbed Ren by the wrist and pulled him along.

With Makoto, she’d just arrived at Inokashira Park and was currently surveying the area for any sign of the villain. This was her first solo mission so she had to be careful, be aware of her surroundings, and most importantly be ready for a fight. She was searching the nearby bushes when the sound of a twig snapping came from behind her.

Leaping away quickly, she assumed a defensive stance, crouching with her webshooters aimed at whatever came out of the treeline. It was dark out, so visibility was poor, but as the sound of rustling leaves became louder, she was able to make out a large silhouette coming closer.

“RAWWR! *hicc* Fear me! For I am! *hicc* The Grizzly!” A large man in a brown, bear themed suit came stumbling out of the bushes with an empty liquor bottle clutched in one of his hands.

“The...Grizzly?” Makoto stood up, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“Who the *hicc* hell are you supposed to be?” The Grizzly drunkenly pointed a beefy finger at Makoto. “You aren’t Spider-Man!”

“Um, sir are you alright? Do you need help getting home?” She walked toward him. 

“Huh? No, I don’t need help!” He threw the bottle at Makoto who easily sidestepped, the glass shattering behind her. “I’m Tokyo’s newest villain! And I’m gonna *hicc* kill Spider-Man!”

“Ok sir, why don’t I get you some water and-” She was cut off as the man swiped at her with his claws, Makoto quickly backed away dodging each attempt.

“Don’t make fun of me! *hicc* I’ll kill you bastard!”

Ren and Ann had just been seated at the restaurant which, to Ren’s surprise, served high-class French cuisine. Normally, he could never even dream of eating at such a luxurious establishment, but apparently Ann’s connections afforded her some fairly nice perks. Still, he felt guilty that he wasn’t the one paying for this, and he couldn’t help but wonder how much his date was spending just for him.

Looking around the restaurant’s other patrons, he couldn’t help but compare their attire to his own. Needless to say, he didn’t exactly fit in. Their outfits easily cost hundreds of thousands of yen and were made from expensive fabrics, and while Ann blended right into the crowd with ease, judging by the looks he was getting, Ren was an unwelcome addition to the restaurant’s atmosphere.

“Ignore them.” Ann reached over the table and grabbed his hand. “Tonight is about the two of us.”

Touched by the affectionate display, Ren smiled at his date. “Thanks.”

“Bonjour.” The waiter greeted them. “Welcome to Shino’s Tokyo branch. What can I get for the two of you tonight?”

“Oh…” Ren was surprised they were ordering already. He picked up his menu and began to look it over, not recognizing any of the names on it. Sweating profusely, he began to panic when he saw the waiter staring intently at him. “Uhhh…”

Once again, Ann came to his rescue, grabbing her own menu before speaking to the waiter in perfect French. Nodding as he jotted down their order, Ren was relieved when the man walked away. Thankfully, it seemed Ann had ordered for the both of them.

“You speak French?” Ren asked quietly.

“Yeah, a little.” Ann shrugged. “It’s part of my training as a model. If I’m going to be traveling the world, I should learn different languages. Don’t you think?”

“Definitely.” Ren replied. “I can’t say I ever thought of that. Modelling must be a lot harder than I imagined.”

“Oh? You thought all I had to do was put on different clothes and makeup and look pretty?” Ann raised an eyebrow.

“N-No! Of course not, I mean-”

Seeing him flustered made Ann laugh. “Calm down, I’m kidding! It’s fine, that’s still like 90 percent of the job.” She scooted closer to Ren before resting her elbow on the table. “I’m surprised, usually you’re so calm and collected. I’ve gotta say, I expected you to be more suave.”

Ren let out a sigh of relief, glad he didn’t actually anger the girl. “Yeah, sorry. I’m uh…” He looked around at the fancy restaurant. “I’m a little out of my element.”

“Don’t be.” She reassured him. “It’s actually a relief to see you like this. Sometimes you seem...I dunno, unreachable I guess. Like you’re way out of my league.”

“You really think that?” Ren was shocked, he’d never heard Ann talk like this.

“Sometimes...yeah.” She looked away sheepishly. Ren couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Hey! What’s so funny?”

“Well it’s just, I felt the same about you.” He smiled. “I’m a nobody from out in the country, and you’re a supermodel! The idea that you might be into me was pretty far fetched up until recently.”

With that the two of them both couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation. Had they just been honest with each other, they might have gotten together even sooner.

While the two of them were enjoying a lovely dinner together, Makoto was sitting on a park bench with her head in her hands, listening to the would-be villain bawl his eyes out while dangling upside down from a tree.

“A-And my my wife *sniff* sh-she never believed in my dreams! I just wanted to be a professional wrestler! But noooo! *sniff* Now my kids think their dad is a loser!”

“Mhmm.” She replied, annoyed that he’d been at this for nearly 10 minutes. When the hell were the police getting here?

“So I thought, *sniff* that maybe, I could make a name for myself, *sniff* by killing Spider-Man. Bu-But I couldn’t even beat a girl!” He began weeping once more.

Makoto decided to ignore that last bit, chalking it up to him being drunk. ‘Ugh. I bet Ren’s never had to deal with this.’ She thought, tapping her foot impatiently.

“Well, I guess my wife was right. I am just a-”

“Would you SHUT UP!?” Makoto stood up, finally losing her patience with the man. “Everybody’s got problems! That doesn’t give you the right to take it out on other people! So could you please, shut the hell up!?”

For a moment, the Grizzly didn’t make a sound. Instead just staring at her in fear as he gently swayed back and forth in his web bindings.

Grateful for the silence, Makoto sat back on the bench, rubbing her temples to relieve her now aching head.

“...”

“...”

“So what’s your problem?” He asked.

“Excuse me?” She turned to him angrily.

“You said everyone’s got problems. What has you in such a bad mood? I doubt it’s just me.”

“It’s none of your business!” Makoto chided him. “Besides, I thought you were drunk!”

“Hanging here for so long, all the blood rushed to my head. I think it sobered me up.” He explained. “Also, I need to vomit.”

“Wha-” Before she could even finish her question, the Grizzly began projectile vomiting onto the sidewalk beneath him.

Back with Ren and Ann, the two had finished their dinner and were currently walking through the city streets while enjoying some ice cream Ren had bought for them.

“Man, that was good. Sojiro’s curry is great and all, but it’s nice to eat something new every now and then.” Ren commented.

“I know right? I’ve been wanting to try that place forever! And ice cream is the perfect way to finish it off.” Ann smiled, taking another lick of hers.

“The city really is beautiful at night.”

“Hmm?” Ann turned to Ren who was looking out over the bright city lights. Intrigued, she decided to take a look for herself. It was something she’d seen a million times in her life, so she didn’t really think of it as special anymore. But here, now with Ren, that magic from when she was young was brought back a little.

“I usually see it while I’m out swinging.” Ren explained. “But then I’m always busy trying to stop a villain or a robbery or a helicopter crash. This is the first time I’ve really gotten to stop and appreciate it. No bad guys, no worries. I think I finally get what he meant.”

Ann turned to him and raised an eyebrow, taking a bite out of her cone.

“My uncle, The Prowler, while he was dying he told me to live in the world I was trying to save. I didn’t exactly get what he meant at the time, and I asked some others about it, but now...I think I’m starting to understand.”

“Whoa.” Ann said simply. That was a lot of information to take in. Before they knew it, they’d come to a stop in front of a large apartment complex. “Well, this is my place.” She stated, shifting her weight back and forth while avoiding eye contact, clearly nervous.

“Well, I guess I’ll let you go for the night.” Ren smiled at her. “I had a really great time.”

“Me too.” Ann replied, brushing her hair back, her cheeks blushing.

As Ren moved to let go of her, he felt Ann’s grip on his hand tighten, not wanting to let him go.

“Ann?” Ren turned to her and gave her a puzzled look.

“Doooo you maybe want to come up? We could have some coffee?”

“...”

“...”

“...I do like coffee.”

Back with Makoto and the Grizzly, the former had just finished a long winded explanation of her current situation that had her pissed. She had, of course, omitted their names from the story. She might be emotionally frustrated right now, but she wasn’t an idiot.

“It sounds to me like you and your friends are in a catch 22 situation. The way things are going between all of you, I don’t think there’s a way no one gets hurt.” The bear-themed villain stated, still dangling from his web.

Makoto let out an exasperated sigh. “I know, but what else can we do? We all like him, and while I’m friends with the others, I don’t want to back down just for their sake. Don’t I deserve some happiness too? Or...am I just being selfish?”

“We’re all trying to find happiness in our lives, aren’t we?” Grizzly asked rhetorically. “How do you think I ended up drunk in the park in a bear costume? If 15 years of marriage has taught me anything, it’s that happiness is fleeting, even more so than life itself. If you find something or someone that truly makes you happy in this world, pursue it by all means and don’t give up.”

“You’re saying that I should find a way to stick with him, no matter what? To keep searching until I find some way that all of this works out?” Makoto put her hand to her chin, deep in thought.

“If that would make you happy.” Grizzly attempted to shrug.

“You know, you’re surprisingly insightful when you’re sober.” She commented.

“I think it’s because I’ve been hanging here for so long. Not gonna lie, it's pretty zen. You should try it sometime.” As he said that, the sound of a squad car pulling up could be heard nearby. “Well, sounds like my ride's here.” Grizzly commented. “Guess it’s Ryker’s for me huh?”

“I doubt it.” Makoto replied. “Public intoxication, disturbing the peace, you’ll probably just get a reasonable fine and a slap on the wrist. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Wha-?” Grizzly’s eyes widened. “But, earlier...I could’ve killed you!”

“Trust me, you couldn’t.” Makoto reassured the man, pulling him down from the tree while making sure to avoid his vomit puddle. “Thanks for the talk. I...I really think I needed that.”

“Any time.” The man grinned. “Hey, who should I say caught me? Spider-Girl? Spider-Woman?”

Makoto thought for a moment before coming to an answer. “Ghost-Spider. Call me Ghost-Spider.”

“Nice.”

Back at Ann’s apartment, things were getting...intense.

“Holy shit! Holy shit! Oh fuck! OH FUUUUCK!” Ann cried out as she gripped her bed sheets as she climaxed. Ren, who was kissing her neck, grinned as he watched the girl writhe in ecstasy.

When she finally came down from the high, she turned to her lover, panting heavily. “Holy shit.” She managed to get out. “You really are spectacular.”

Ren let out a chuckle as he played with Ann’s golden hair. “Well you were amazing.” The two lied there in her bed for a moment, silently basking in the afterglow while they stared into each other’s eyes.

“Better than Makoto?”

At that, Ren’s smile was replaced by a look of confusion. “What?”

“...Nothing.” Ann rolled over, facing away from him.

“No, hold on.” He persisted. “Why are you asking?”

“I just...wanted to know how I stack up.” She said, pouting.

“Ann, I would never compare the two of you! You’re two incredibly different girls. And I...I could never choose between you two.”

“Hmmph!” Ann turned away from him, not pleased with his response.

“Did...Did I say something wrong?” Ren asked, sitting up.

“...”

“Okay um...I’ll just...I’ll go.” He got out of the bed and picked up his clothes off the ground.

And thus, Tokyo’s greatest hero had his first walk of shame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, school stuff got in the way. I've been working on this over the course of three days which might be the longest I've spent on a single chapter so far. The first round of exams are coming up so I might be busy again for a while, I hope this holds you guys over for the time being. I tried something new with this chapter and I hope it goes over well. As always, let me know what you guys think in the comments. Until next time!


	98. Chapter 98

[129]

As he wiped down one of his last tables for the night, Ren let out a sigh. Memories of his date with Ann last night played over again in his mind.

“Something troubling you?” A voice asked from behind him.

“Ms. Philemon!” Ren turned around in surprise, seeing his boss casually leaning against a table. “Uh, it’s nothing. I was just finishing up for the night.”

“Good to hear.” She replied. “And I thought I asked you to call me Margaret. Ms. Philemon makes me sound like an old woman, I’m still in my twenties you know.”

“Sorry about that.” He apologized sheepishly.

“No problem.” She smiled, her white teeth contrasting her dark red lipstick. “Come to the back office when you’re finished, I’ll have your paycheck ready.” She punctuated her sentence with a wink before walking off.

“Um...okay.” Ren replied with a questioning look.

Finishing his work, he put away his cleaning supplies for the night. Just as he was about to hang up his apron, Ren heard the kitchen door open.

“Theodore? Have you made dinner yet?” Lavenza asked, entering the room. “I’m feeling quite famished...Oh, it’s you.”

“Hey Lavenza.” Ren greeted the girl.

“Sorry, I was looking for my brother. I’ll go-”

“I could make you something.” Ren offered. “We’ve still got some leftover ingredients. I think I could whip something up.”

“There’s no need, I’ll just-” Before she could finish, she was cut off once again, this time by her stomach growling.

Seeing the proud girl’s embarrassment, Ren couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. “Why don’t I get started?” He looked over the spare ingredients laid out on the table. “How about a pork curry bowl?”

“Pork...curry bowl? I haven’t had such a thing.” She said, taking a seat at a nearby table.

While the Velvet Room was known for serving delicious food, it wasn’t a place known for Japanese cuisine. The Philemon family, if it wasn’t obvious by their names and appearances, weren’t native to Japan, instead hailing from somewhere in Europe.

“Well you’re in luck. If there’s one thing I know, it’s curry.” He began to stir the ingredients, creating a rich aroma that wafted through the kitchen. When the food was finished, Ren presented the bowl to Lavenza, who was drooling at the mouth at the sight of it. “Bon appetit.”

Taking her fork and digging in, Lavenza was blown away by how tasty it was. Somehow it tasted even better than she’d thought. Why was this boy relegated to mopping floors when he had this much skill? Before she knew it, she’d had reached the bottom of the bowl and unintentionally let out a disappointed groan.

“Want more?” Ren asked. “Don’t worry, I made enough for seconds.” He reassured her, picking up her bowl and refilling it with rice before adding the curry.

With the small girl finishing off the last of the food, Ren hung up his apron and exited the kitchen, ruffling Lavenza’s hair on his way out. Normally she would protest such an action, seeing it as belittling, but she decided to let him get away with it just this once, looking away to hide her blush as he left.

As he was about to head home for the night, Ren suddenly remembered Margaret’s words from earlier. 

Walking back to her office, he knocked before hearing a ‘come in’ from the other end.

“You certainly took your time.” Margaret stated.

“Yeah sorry, Lavenza was-” He paused when he caught sight of his boss’s current attire.

Sitting behind her desk with her legs kicked up, Margaret’s normal uniform had some slight alterations. While she still had her heels on, instead of her leather pants, the woman was sporting stockings that left little to the imagination, giving Ren a good look at the legs beneath. Moving his gaze upward, he noticed that the top buttons of her uniform had been undone, putting her ample cleavage on display. From where he was standing Ren was able to just make out the edges of her bra, which from the looks of it was dark blue and lacy. He also noticed the edge of a tattoo on her collarbone that depicted a rose and what seemed to be the Roman numeral for 3.

“Is there a problem?” Margaret asked, causing Ren to snap out his daze, realizing he hadn’t spoken for a while.

“Um, n-no.” He replied, averting his gaze. “No problem. Just...here to pick up my check.” Embarrassed as he was to admit it, he struggled for a moment to remember why he’d come here.

“Well it’s right here.” She nodded toward her desk, revealing that the paycheck was just beneath her heel. Though she showed it to him, Margaret made no attempt to hand it to him. Clearly, she wanted him to get it himself.

“O-Okay.” Ren said nervously, reaching for the check with a shaky hand. As he was about to reach it, Margaret pulled her foot back, causing the piece of paper to fall to the floor.

“Oops.” She said with a smile, still making no attempt to pick it up.

His heart pounding in his chest, Ren bent over to grab the check off of the floor, unintentionally giving Margaret exactly what she wanted, a nice view of his ass. It should be noted that the Velvet Room didn’t have an HR department, so...yeah. Of course his boss was a very attractive woman, but Ren had more interest in maintaining a steady source of income than getting his rocks off.

“You know, that uniform fits you quite nicely.” Margaret commented. “I’ll have to commend Theo for his tailoring talents.”

“Um, thank you ma’am-er Margaret.” He corrected himself, standing up. “W-Was there anything else you needed?”

“No, that should be enough.” She replied. “You can head home for the night. See you soon.” She said the last bit in a very sultry voice.

Ren wasted no time getting out of the club, speed walking out of the room and back home. When he got out onto the street, he immediately pulled out his phone and went to his contacts list. He had some very important questions that needed to be answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey Takemi, it’s Ren. Quick question, remember that conversation we had yesterday? About the whole pheromones thing with me and Makoto?”

“Yeah? What about it?” She asked, audibly intrigued.

“Is it...Is it possible that it can affect other people? Like, normal people?”

“Hmm. I hadn’t really considered that. I mean, it’s possible. But I’d need to run some tests.” She stated. “Why do you ask?”

“Um, no reason. Just...being safe is all.” He lied.

“What? Did something happen on your date with Takamaki? I’d be fascinated to hear the details.”

‘Oh God.’ Ren thought, putting his palm to his face. ‘I’d just forgotten about that. Thanks a bunch Doc.’

“No, nothing I really need to share. Again, just being cautious.” He boarded the subway back to Yongen Jaya. “I’ve gotta go now, give Haru my best.”

“Okay.” The doctor sounded disappointed. “Wait, Haru isn’t-” But Ren hung up before she could finish, not hearing the last part.

He sighed as he put his phone away. As he rode the subway home, next to him, two businessmen were having a conversation that Ren couldn’t help but overhear.

“Have you heard? Masayoshi Shido is coming back to Tokyo tomorrow.” One man said to his colleague. “His campaign across the country has been a huge success. Seems like he’s the most likely candidate to win the election.”

“Well, I know he’s got my vote. Shido Sciences already does so much for the country as it is, clean energy, cell phones, security systems, the list goes on. Can you imagine how it’ll be when he’s Prime Minister?”

Ren was intrigued, he’d never heard that Shido was running for Prime Minister. Could you blame him though? He’d had a busy year, plus he wasn’t too into politics to begin with. Still, the thought that a man with that much power already was going to be in charge of the country? It made him a little uneasy.

The ride was fairly quiet from that point on, leaving Ren alone with his thoughts. So much had happened, and so much was still happening. To call his life a mess would be putting it lightly, things were a wreck at the moment. He didn’t even know what he’d say to Ann the next time he saw her.

When he finally arrived at Leblanc’s front door, he let out what felt like his millionth sight of the evening. Finally he was home, now he could relax, pet Maurice a bit, and go to sleep. Maybe Sojiro had left out some food for him? He doubted it but was hopeful nonetheless. As he fumbled with his key, he was surprised when he found the door already unlocked.

‘Did Sojiro forget to lock up?’ He thought. ‘That’s weird, and after all the times he’s gotten on my case about this being a bad neighborhood.’

He pushed open the door, but instead of finding the dark empty restaurant, Ren noticed that scented candles had been lit all around the cafe. And scattered across the floor, were those...rose petals? What was-

Ren’s line of questions were interrupted when a pair of hands covered his eyes. “Guess who?” A familiar voice asked playfully.

“Haru?” Ren asked, confused. When the hands retracted from his face, he turned around and came face to face with the fluffy-haired girl in question.

“Welcome home Ren.” She smiled. As he looked down, he noticed Haru was in what looked to be a bathrobe. The thought of what may be beneath, or what may not be beneath it, caused the boy’s heart to skip a beat.

“W-What um…” He struggled to speak. “What’s going on?”

“Why, my turn of course.” Haru answered while walking behind the counter. “And since I can’t exactly afford to take you out to dinner like Ann, I decided to bring dinner here.” She pulled out a charcuterie board loaded with various meats, cheeses, crackers, and fruits.

“Wow.” Ren was stunned by this entire display. “Wait, I’m sorry, your ‘turn’?”

“Shhh.” She dismissed his concern. “Here, eat.” She held up a cracker to his mouth which he hesitantly accepted.

“So Haru,” Ren began, still chewing. “You um...you like me...Like ‘that’ way.”

“...Yes.” Haru answered before a look of fear crossed her eyes. “D-Do you not-”

“No! Nonono!” He shook his head frantically. “I mean, I feel the same! I-I definitely feel the same but...You know about the situation with Ann, Makoto, and I, right?”

“Mhmm.” She nodded, smiling at Ren’s admittance that he felt the same.

“And that doesn’t bother you?” He raised an eyebrow.

“On the contrary. You see I…” She rubbed her arm bashfully. “I like girls too.”

“Oh.” Ren’s eyes widened. “So then you-”

“Want to be with Ann and Makoto too, yes.” She nodded. “I think, if we can find a way that makes all of us happy, then we should take it.”

“Wow.” Ren was surprised by all of this. “I don’t mean to burst your bubble or anything, but I don’t think that’s very likely at the moment. Ann is pretty pissed at me after last night, and if Makoto isn’t already pissed, she’s probably going to be after she finds out that Ann and I did it.”

“You and Ann got together? After one date?” It was Haru’s turn to be surprised.

“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Then she asked how she stacked up against Makoto and I...couldn’t answer her. She ended up more or less kicking me out, and I haven’t spoken to her since.”

“...”

“...”

“So I’m the only one who hasn’t gotten a turn yet?” Haru asked.

“Ye-Wait what?” He looked up, surprised.

“Want to go upstairs and fix that?” She stood up excitedly.

Ren was speechless, but as if his body acted on it’s own, he found himself nodding his head. Haru squealed in excitement, grabbing his hand and quickly leading him up the stairs. When they got to his bedroom, Ren quickly found that the display downstairs was nothing compared to what awaited him here. Candles and rose petals lined the walls, the windowsill, the bed, was it really safe to have this many candles all burning at once? And laid out across his bed was a plate of strawberries dipped in chocolate, arranged on the plate in the shape of a heart.

“Wow Haru,” Ren admired the display. “I’ve been confessed to before but...never like this.”

“You like it? I’m glad.” The girl seemed relieved. “Father always said to ‘go big or go home.’ Though I have to admit, I was afraid that it would come across as creepy, o-or too much. I can’t even imagine what I would’ve done if you’d said no or-”

“Shhh.” This time it was Ren’s turn to shush her. “Haru, this is incredible. I’ve never seen such a display of affection.” He put her hands in his. “And I would never say no to you.”

Smiling and with tears in her eyes, Haru leaned in and kissed Ren passionately. It was far softer than with Makoto or Ann, but just as charged with emotion nonetheless. It was exactly what he would expect from the most gentle girl he knew. 

When the kiss finally ended, Haru took a step away from Ren, confusing him for a moment, though the girl was still smiling. It was then that she untied the knot in her robe and let it drop to the floor, confirming his suspicion from earlier.

She wasn’t wearing anything underneath it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, another girl. These chapters have been horny as of late! It is a few hours until Valentine's Day though, as of writing this, so I guess it's excused. Also, if it wasn't obvious from how often it's featured in the story, cooking is a hobby of mine and one that I think is a very romantic skill to possess. I'm a big fan of Food Wars, and I don't know if you guys caught it last chapter, but I put an Easter egg from that show in there. I've gotten some comments lately asking how I get chapters out so fast, my answer to that is I have a big ass outline on a Word Document that I wrote out and I use that to guide the story telling, though a lot of chapters, like this one, I make up on the spot. I do worry about the quality though, I don't want there to be a noticeable drop as the story progresses, so let me know if they're still up to par with my better chapters. I think I will write a chapter featuring a full on lemon soon, but for now I'll leave those scenes up to your imaginations. What's coming next? Who knows? Find out soon!


	99. Chapter 99

[130]

“Hmm. Shido’s returning by helicopter today at noon.” Goro Akechi remarked, looking at his phone as he took a sip of his morning coffee.

“Mmmm. Finally.” His other half smiled in his head. “I can’t wait to consume his brain.”

“Now now, be patient. We’ve talked about how we’ll do this. I get to say my piece first, then we’ll tear him apart and you can eat what’s left over.” Akechi looked up at the Shido Sciences Tower before scowling. “However, there is a bit of a snag. Even with my connections in the corporation, there’s no way that we could get anywhere near that landing pad.”

“You want up?” The voice in his head asked. “Why didn’t you just say?”

A sinister smile grew on Akechi’s face. “I like the way you think.”

Back at Leblanc, the morning was just beginning for two teens in the attic.

“Wow. And I thought the Lizard had claws.” Ren exclaimed, checking out the scratch marks on his back in the mirror.

“Sorry about that.” Haru sat up in Ren’s bed, covering herself with the blanket.

Much to Ren’s surprise, Haru was very dominant in the bedroom, far more than any other girl he’d experienced yet. With a fetish for roleplaying and name calling, his night with Haru was certainly a night to remember, one that Ren didn’t regret in the slightest. After an exciting night between the two of them that lasted multiple rounds, the pair were enjoying an early morning together since they didn’t have to worry about school.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ren assured her. “These will heal in no time.”

“Still,” She stood up and hugged him from behind, tracing his various scars with her fingertips. “I’d hate to cause you even more pain than you’ve already been through.” When she realized what she was doing, she immediately panicked. “I’m sorry! D-Does that hurt?”

Ren chuckled at the flustered girl. “Not at all. It uh, actually feels kinda nice.”

“Oh. I-I’ll keep doing it then.” She smiled, pressing herself against him while continuing to feel his scars.

And boy were there a lot of them. An electrical burn on his back, a stab wound in his shoulder, claw marks on his chest, various surgical scars, a patch of regrown skin from the hole in his right side, a scar just above his right eye, and his left forearm which was covered in teeth marks from his most recent fight. He’d gone through so much in such a short time, and what did he have to show for it besides a tapestry of wounds across his body?

“I’m sorry.” Haru apologized sadly.

“Huh? I told you it was fine.” Ren was confused.

“Not that. I’m sorry for...everything. Everything you’ve had to go through, all the pain that you’ve-”

“Haru.” Ren interrupted. “Nobody forced me to do this. It isn’t anyone’s fault, least of all your’s. And I still haven’t regretted my decision to become Spider-Man.” He smiled at her. “It led me to you and the others after all.”

“I think we still would’ve found each other.” Haru stated. “Even if you hadn’t been bitten by that spider. I think some people are just fated to meet.”

“You might be right.” He looked at her before leaning in for a kiss. Just as their lips were about to meet, the cafe’s bell rang, telling them that someone had just entered. Sighing, Ren turned back to Haru. “Do you have any clothes with you?” Her cheeks heating up, Haru silently shook her head.  
When Ren finally came downstairs, dressed in his casual clothes, he spotted Sojiro standing behind the counter sniffing the air.

“Did you light a candle in here last night? Smells like lavender and sandalwood.”

“I...thought it would improve the...atmosphere?” Ren lied. He and Haru had made sure to clean up after last night and y’know not burn the cafe down. Plus, they ended up using the charcuterie board for...unintended purposes. He’d never eaten food off of another person’s body before last night, but Haru was full of interesting ideas like that.

“Y’know most people that come here like the smell of coffee.” Sojiro stated, furrowing his brow. “Don’t go trying to mess with my cafe’s atmosphere without my permission.” His scolding was interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the attic. “Is someone else up there?”

“Uh, that was Maurice.” Ren lied again. Immediately after, as if to mock him, said cat meowed as it walked past him. “Shit.”

Sojiro smirked and crossed his arms. “Oh I see. Good on you kid. And smart thinking lighting a candle. I don’t want my cafe smelling like sex.”

“Haha, yeah.” Ren replied, sweating. ‘I didn’t even think of that.’ He thought nervously.

Before they could continue, the bell rang again and a familiar figure walked in.

“Good morning Boss.” Makoto greeted, before turning to Ren and nodding with a smile. “Ren.”

“Makoto!” Ren said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I was invited.” Makoto said, showing her phone. “Futaba texted me to come here. Something about a surprise.”

As she was speaking, the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs gave way to reveal Haru standing at the bottom of the steps, wearing Ren’s clothes.

“H-Hi...Makoto.” Haru waved.

“Haru.” Makoto greeted with flushed cheeks. The group was silent for a moment.

“Well,” Sojiro broke the silence. “This is awkward.”

Thankfully, the tension was broken when the door opened once again. “Doodo Dodoo!” Futaba mimicked a trumpet as she entered followed by Yusuke carrying a pair of bags. “Presenting the new suits!”

“Futaba!” Makoto turned to her. “What if a customer had been here!?”

“A customer? At Leblanc?” Futaba raised an eyebrow. “Please.”

“That’s it! No curry for you tonight young lady!” Sojiro scolded her.

“So the new suits are finished?” Ren asked excitedly. “Can I see mine?” He walked toward the bags greedily.

“I want to see mine too!” Makoto said, excited to have her first superhero suit.

“Hold on there buckaroos!” Futaba stopped him. “How about a bit of thanks for working so hard on these things? I busted my ass all of yesterday adding the finishing touches to them!”

“So that’s why I heard grunting coming from your room last night.” Sojiro said, relieved. “I was worried for a moment there.”

Futaba’s eyes suddenly widened and she broke into a cold sweat. “Y-Yup, th-that’s why!”

After giving their thanks, Ren and Makoto excitedly changed (in separate rooms) into their new outfits before walking out onto the main floor. Ren’s suit was different from his original, now sporting some new white highlights across his torso and limbs, this costume was definitely more eye-catching than the original version. Makoto’s suit, on the other hand, stood out even more compared to Ren’s. With a white upper body and hood, pink webs highlighting her biceps, fingertips, and inside of the hood, and a black lower body from the stomach down, complemented by cyan shoes, it was drastically different from any other spider suit before it.

“Whoa.” Ren admired Makoto’s suit as she stepped out. “You look great!”

“Th-Thanks.” She rubbed her arm awkwardly. “So do you. Um...So do these have to be skin tight?”

“Trust me, they do.” Ren assured her. “Normal clothes aren’t meant to move the way we do. With my homemade suit, chafing got to be more of a problem than the villains.”

“Yes, and with these suits you should be incredibly comfortable as you swing from rooftop to rooftop.” Yusuke added. “And thanks to a blend of silk and a special polymer, your suits are both incredibly light and protective...At no small expense to myself.” He said, a grimace crossing his face. Ren made a mental note to thank him with food later.

“My turn!” Futaba raised her hand before stepping up. “I added a bunch of goodies to your suits! Now, the lenses of your masks have built-in cameras linked to my computer so I can see what you’re doing in the field. They also feature a heads-up display that you can use to answer calls, pull up images, and view your webshooter settings.” She stated proudly, hitting a button on her phone.

In response, both suits’ lenses lit up as a stream of code flooded them before giving a readout of important data relative to the suit.

“Whoa.” Ren said in awe, looking at his hands.

“Speaking of which, your webshooters are now built into the wrists of your suits. I’ve added a few more modes to them too, but I’ll let you find those later. If you check your waists, you’ll see that I’ve added slots for extra web cartridges so you shouldn’t run out in the field.”

As she felt the cartridges on her waist, Makoto paused at her hips, on either side there seemed to be a metal disk nearly the size of her palm. “What’s this?” She asked, pulling it out.

“Ah, I see you’ve found the Web Grenade Mark 2.” Futaba smirked, pushing up her glasses. “Now they can stick to surfaces before detonating. Also, they actually detonate when they’re supposed to now. The timer is 3 seconds and should appear on your HUD after you throw them.”

“Futaba, Yusuke, this is incredible!” Ren said. “I-I can’t thank you enough.”

“The feeling is mutual.” Makoto added her thanks as well.

“You both can thank us by not dying out there.” Futaba replied. “Makoto, please watch his back and make sure he doesn’t get himself killed.”

“Hey! I’m the veteran here!” Ren chimed in.

“Yes, and you’ve almost died how many times?” Futaba asked.

“I...actually lost count.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

While the others were busy conversing, Makoto felt a hand on her shoulder. “Um, Makoto?” Haru whispered. “D-Do you think I can speak to you in private?”

The brunette raised an eyebrow but nodded nonetheless, following the other girl up to the attic. They stood in silence for quite a bit as Haru struggled to decide where to begin. Desperate for this awkward moment to end, Makoto decided to speak up first, pulling off her mask.

“So...You and Ren…” Makoto eyed the other girl’s attire before turning her attention to the messy bed and discarded bathrobe.

“Um, yes. We...did ‘that’ last night. A-Are you mad?” She asked with a look of concern.

“N-No! Of course not!” Makoto shook her head. “We had an agreement. Everyone gets their turn, then we have him decide.”

“You see, that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.” Haru stated. “What if...What if we called off the agreement? What if instead of having to decide between us we could...share?”

Makoto was speechless, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. “...Share Ren? Like, the three of us take shifts? Haru, Ren isn’t a toy, you can’t just pass him around-”

“No, not like that.” Haru interrupted. “What I mean is...well…” She struggled to speak, unable to vocalize her thoughts. “Screw it.” She finally said, leaning in and pressing her lips against Makoto’s.

As she felt the other girl’s lips on her’s, Makoto’s eyes went wide, staring at Haru who had her eyes shut. While she certainly wasn’t expecting the kiss and wasn’t sure how to feel about it, Makoto didn’t pull away. In fact, after a moment of hesitation, she opened her mouth slightly, granting Haru access to her tongue. After a few more pleasurable moments of connection, the fluffy-haired girl pulled away, causing Makoto to moan slightly.

“‘That’ is what I mean.” Haru said, unable to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry, but that was the only way I could think to-”

“It’s fine.” Makoto assured her. “I think I just...need some time to think. Is that okay?”

“Of course! Take your time.” Haru replied, beaming. “A-And please, if you aren’t interested, don’t let this make things awkward between us. I-I still want to be your friend.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Makoto! Haru! You guys coming down?” The voice of Futaba called from downstairs.

“Coming!” They both replied before sharing another glance.

When they reached the bottom of the steps, they spotted Ren scarfing down a plate of curry with his mask pulled halfway up his face. Somehow, this boy had managed to steal both of their hearts in the short time he’d known them. And now, Makoto was actually entertaining the idea of entering a three way relationship! Did things like this really happen?

“You wanna go on patrol?” Ren asked her, still chewing his food. “Test out the new digs?”

“O-Okay.” Makoto replied, her voice unintentionally cracking.

An hour later, they were swinging through Shibuya, doing flips and tricks as they swung between buildings, Ren with the practiced ease of a professional while Makoto took a more careful approach.

“It’s pretty amazing isn’t it?” Ren turned to the girl as the two sat perched on a tall building. “Even after months, it still makes my heart race every time I swing.”

“Definitely.” Makoto breathed out, looking down at the street below. While she was still excited to try out her first super suit, her mind was preoccupied with Haru’s proposal. “I-I still can’t believe it’s real.”

“Yeah, I felt that way for a long time. I still do sometimes. Makes me wonder how Narukami felt, being the first one like this. But I guess now we have something he never did.”

“What’s that?” Makoto asked.

“A partner.” Ren stated, turning to her. And while she couldn’t see it, Makoto knew he was smiling under his mask.

It was then that Makoto felt the urge to kiss him, maybe that was the pheromones talking again, but she couldn’t help it. Ren appeared to feel the same, leaning into her while pulling up the edge of his mask. Just as they were about to kiss, all of the screens around them changed to the same broadcast with a message that read ‘Breaking News.’

As they turned their attention to the news, the screens all displayed a live video feed of a large, inky black figure racing up the side of a skyscraper.

“We are receiving multiple reports of a monstrous creature climbing up the side of the Shido Sciences building! Authorities are unable to identify the figure, but they believe its target may be none other than Masayoshi Shido himself. Shibuya residents are advised to remain indoors and stay clear of the area surrounding the building.”

As the pair of heroes turned to the nearby Shido Sciences building, they were just able to make out the black figure climbing the tower.

“Well,” Ren got up and stretched. “Ready for your first superhero team up?”

“Definitely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late chapter, I had an exam today. It did not go well. But either way, here's the next chapter! Next chapter, the long awaited Chapter 100 and the face off between Spider-Man and Venom! How exciting! What could happen? How will they interact? What will Makoto's decision be? What about Ann and the other girls? These are all good questions, I can't wait to find out the answer as well because I'm kinda winging it with the whole romance aspect of the story. Until next time!


	100. Chapter 100

[131]

“Director!” Masayoshi Shido’s secretary ran to her boss as he stepped out of his helicopter. “We need to get you to safety immediately! The building is under attack”

“So I’ve heard.” Shido replied calmly, walking past her with his hands in his pockets. As he entered the glass elevator on the side of the building, his secretary quickly followed after.

“Sir! You’re in danger! We have to get you to the safe room!” She warned as the elevator began to descend.

“All these years working here and you still haven’t realized?” Shido asked, looking out over the city. Suddenly a black mass in the rough shape of a human slammed against the glass, baring its sharp teeth and long tongue at them. “This building is the safe room.”

“AAHHH!” The secretary let out a scream as she backed away in fear. Her boss however, didn’t even flinch, instead leaning forward to get a closer look.

“Fascinating.” Shido observed the creature as it pounded against the glass. “So this is what became of VM-299. For it to be this strong, the host’s compatibility must exceed 90 percent.”

The creature continued to slam its fists into the glass, as it did, small cracks began to appear in the surface. Seemingly infuriated by its inability to break through, the monster’s attacks became more rapid and animalistic, letting out a furious roar.

“SHIDOOOO!” It yelled, its long tongue lashing out like a whip.

“D-Director!” The secretary cowered in fear.

“It’s fine.” Shido insisted. “Samael. Status report.”

“Glass integrity: 65 percent.” The building’s AI responded over the intercom. “At its current rate, you have 2 minutes before the elevator is breached.”

“I think I’ve seen enough.” Shido stated. “Send Niijima and her team to the bottom floor, and get this ‘thing’ off of my building.”

“Of course Director.” Samael replied.

“What’s going to-” Before the secretary could finish her question, she was interrupted by a blast from outside the building. Twin turrets appeared on either side of the elevator and began to fire on the creature, forcing it to release its grip on the elevator. With a cry of pain, it fell to the ground below and out of their sight. “Whew.” The secretary let out a sigh of relief.

“You’re fired by the way.” Shido stated.

“Huh?” She looked up, gaping at her boss.

“No one who works for me should be this unprofessional in an emergency. You can pack up your desk and leave. I wouldn’t recommend going out the front entrance though, it’s going to be quite busy.” He smiled, staring out at the city below him.

On the ground, Akechi was just standing back up from the crater he’d just put in the ground with his fall when a group of men dressed in white uniforms rushed to surround him from all sides. Overhead, a legion of drones flew in circles directly above him.

‘Dammit!’ Akechi thought, wincing in pain as Venom removed the bullets from his body. ‘It seems I underestimated Shido’s security measures.’

As he looked around him, he noticed the ring of soldiers parted in order to allow their leader in. From the looks of it, the leader was a tall woman in her twenties with long silver wearing a white trench coat with grey body armor beneath it.

Sae Niijima a.k.a Silver Sable. Being a reporter by day, he of course recognized this woman at a glance. Shido’s head of security and personal lap dog. An individual known for her beauty and deadliness, having risen to one of the highest ranking positions in the company through sheer work ethic and efficiency, the threat she posed couldn’t be understated.

“Director, what’s the call?” She spoke into her headset. Pausing for a moment, she nodded her head. “Understood.”

Turning to one of her squad members next to her, she signalled to the trooper who nodded before pressing a series of buttons on their tablet. Almost immediately, the drones overhead began emitting a high frequency noise, one that caused even the soldiers to flinch in pain. Akechi was in even worse shape.

The symbiote cried out in pain, its form withering as it tried to pull itself away from Akechi to escape the painful sound. The boy fell to his knees, clutching at his ears and trying to maintain his form.

“Once you have a clear shot, take it!” Sae called out to her team. “Avoid damaging the symbiote! We’re to collect it after the host is neutralized.”

“That’s not very nice!” A voice called from above. Before anyone could react, weblines shot out from above snatching the guns out of each soldier’s hands. When he landed, Spider-Man uncloaked, revealing himself in a new suit to everyone present.

“Spider-Man!” Sae called out, aiming her pistols at the vigilante. “Don’t interfere! If you make any sudden moves, I am authorized to use lethal force!”

“Whoa!” He raised his arms disarmingly. “Why don’t we calm down for a second? Good job stopping this guy, but nobody’s getting ‘neutralized’ on my watch!”

“That isn’t your decision to make. If you don’t leave now, I’ll be forced to detain you.” The head of security warned. “The VM-299 is property of Shido Sciences and its host is a criminal. You don’t understand how dangerous it could be!”

“If he’s a criminal, then he should be tried under the law!” Spider-Man argued. “But I can see that you aren’t going to budge on this, so screw it. Ghost!” He called out.

Out of nowhere, a feminine figure dressed in black, white, and pink jumped in front of Sae. “Sorry about this.” The vigilante apologized before kicking the shocked woman to the ground.

The troopers, missing their rifles, ran at the two vigilantes with batons drawn, beginning a hand to hand conflict that drew the attention away from Akechi. Seeing his opportunity, he used the last of his strength to shoot a tendril at one of the drones. When it came in contact, Akechi used the drone as a weapon against the others, slamming it into the other drones.

With the drones damaged, the sound was dampened enough for the symbiote to regain his form around Akechi, pulling himself away from the conflict.

“Stop!” One of the soldiers cried out. Akechi turned around to spot a soldier aiming a pistol at him. Seeing his face, the soldier hesitated for a moment. “A-A kid!?”

His hesitation would be his downfall however, as one of the symbiote’s tendrils shot out and grabbed the man, pulling him in before growing two rows of teeth and biting off his head.

“I’ve recovered my strength. Let’s kill the others!” The mouth spoke to Akechi before sliding back into his body.

“No. We would only be recaptured.” Akechi advised. “We need to make a tactical retreat.” His other half growled in anger but relented, allowing them to escape undetected.

Meanwhile, the fight between Ren, Makoto and the guards was rather one-sided with the two vigilantes easily incapacitating their assailants. As Makoto raised her fist to knockout the last guard, she was alerted to an attack from behind by her spider-sense. Quickly flipping away, she narrowly avoided a gunshot, tracing it back to its owner, Makoto saw that it was none other than her sister holding the smoking gun.

“Do you realize what you’ve done!?” Sae asked angrily. “You and your sidekick just let that thing get away! Now that thing is loose in the city! Both of you are coming with me!”

‘Oh Sis…’ Makoto thought sadly.

“Sorry, but that won’t do.” Ren said from next to her. “We’ll find that thing, and we’ll stop it. Our way. No killing.”

“You expect me to just let you go?” Sae raised an eyebrow.

“You can’t stop us.” Makoto said before tossing out a web grenade. With that providing a distraction, the two of them escaped, swinging away as fast as they could.

“Dammit!” Sae yelled, struggling against the webbing, forced to watch the vigilantes escape.

When they finally got clear of the Shido Sciences building and its guards, the pair of heroes ducked into an alleyway. After checking that the coast was clear, the two removed their masks, Ren taking a seat on a box and Makoto pacing impatiently.

“Dammit Ren, maybe we shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. We just made the situation worse! The Shido Sciences team had it handled, we should’ve just left it to them to take care of.”

“Makoto…” Ren looked at her sadly. “You heard what that woman said, there’s a person in that thing! And they were going to kill them!”

“And because we interfered, one of the guards died and that thing got loose! Who knows how many more people it will kill now!”

“We’ll stop it before it can do that. We’ll free whoever’s in there and capture that monster. Makoto, in this job, you can’t save everyone...But we have to save who we can, even if they’re criminals. That’s what you signed up for.”

Despite his words, Makoto still seemed unsure. “I didn’t sign up to fight my sister…” She murmured.

“Hold on,” Ren stood up, surprised. “That woman with the silver hair, that was your sister!?”

“Yeah…” She rubbed her arm. “Sae Niijima, she’s Shido’s head of security. And my older sister.”

“And you didn’t find that prudent to share!?”

“It wasn’t relevant until now!” Makoto argued. “What does it even matter!?”

Ren struggled to speak for a moment. “...I don’t trust Shido. There’s something about him, I feel like...I don’t know. I just have this bad feeling.” He looked at Makoto’s judgemental face. “We...we’re still partners, right?”

“...”

“...”

“Yes. We’re still partners.” They grasped each other’s hands and shook. “And I am not your sidekick.”

“Noted.”

Later that afternoon, Futaba was sitting up in her room typing away on her computer. From what she’d gathered, that thing that attacked Shido Sciences was Ren’s next target, and it was her job to be the eyes in the sky, hacking into street cameras and surveying online and police chatter. It was hard work, but as long as she didn’t have to go outside she didn’t mind.

She was so busy watching her monitors that she barely noticed when there was a knock at her door.

“Come in!” The redhead called out, not bothering to turn around. It was probably Sojiro anyway, he was the only one who ever came by. It was this expectation that caused Futaba to be surprised when she heard a female voice behind her.

“Hey Futaba.” Ann entered the room, looking around at the various posters and figurines in the younger girl’s room.

“Ann?” Futaba spun around in her chair with a bewildered look. “What are you doing here? N-Not that I mind! It’s just that...I don’t really get visitors.”

“Well y’see…” Ann played with one of her pigtails, avoiding eye contact with the young hacker. “I saw the suits that you made for Ren and Makoto on the news.”

“Yeah?” Futaba raised an eyebrow.

“Um...Do you think...C-Could you maybe...Make one for me?” The blonde asked.

“...What!?”

Later that night, across the city at Naoto’s apartment, the detective had just come home from another 60 hour shift and was dead tired. She pulled off her hat and tie as she set her briefcase on the couch.

She turned to the kitchen table and sighed when she found it empty. It had been over a month since ‘he’ moved out, and despite her being used to living in an empty house for years, it never truly felt empty until that boy left. Now she couldn’t help but fantasize about coming home after a long day of work to find him cooking dinner for her, cuddling on the couch while watching a movie, and falling asleep on his chest.

Even back when she’d had feelings for Yu, she’d never daydreamed about a life they could share together. It was these fantasies, which occupied her mind during work and at home, that made Naoto realize she’d fallen for the teenage vigilante, harder than she’d ever fallen for anyone before.

Once again, she let out a loud sigh. “Maybe I should get a cat?” She wondered aloud. Before she could continue that line of thought, there was a knock at her door.

The detective turned toward the door with a look of surprise. No one ever came by her apartment! Not even the landlord, she made all of her payments well in advance. Putting her hand on her hip, she assured that her sidearm was there and the safety was off. Carefully stepping toward the door, she pressed her ear against it and heard muffled voices on the other end.

Multiple visitors? Late at night? The situation was looking worse by the second.

Finally, she cracked open the door to see who was on the other side, only to widen her eyes in shock before opening the door completely.

“G-Guys?”

In front of her stood her entire friend group from Inaba. Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, Teddie, and...Rise. The final member she’d spoken to the most recently, but they hadn’t departed on the best of terms. Rise was mad that Naoto wouldn’t share confidential information gathered by the police that pointed to Yu’s killer and the terrorist behind the Shibuya attack. Grieving, angry, and lonely, the celebrity widow traveled back to Inaba to mourn alongside Dojima, Nanako, and the others while Naoto stayed in Tokyo to continue her work.

“Hey.” Rise greeted softly, her eyes looking much kinder than she’d last seen. “It’s been a while.” Something else seemed different about her too, she just couldn’t focus enough to tell what it was at the moment.

“Yeah…” Naoto replied almost inaudibly, still dumbstruck by the situation. “C-Come in! Please, it’s cold out!” She ushered them inside. Each of her friends gave her a warm greeting and a hug as they entered, though the awkwardness between them was still palpable. “Sorry, I don’t have any food or snacks ready. I’m pretty low on coffee too. I just got home myself actually.”

“There’s no need.” Yukiko stated, taking a seat. “But thank you for the offer.”

The room stood quiet for almost a minute. Finally Naoto decided to break the silence.

“So, what brought you all back to Tokyo?” She asked hesitantly.

The group all looked at each other before turning to Rise who stood up, staring at the detective.

“We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 100 Baby! And on this story's 6 month anniversary. I can honestly say that I never thought this would go on for this long or get as popular as it is now. Thanks so much for all of the support you guys! Since we're now officially in the Final Act of the story, things will only be heating up from here! Venom's on the loose, Sae is Silver Sable, Ann wants a superhero suit, and the Persona 4 gang is back! Something big is coming in the near future. Something that will effect all of Tokyo. And Ren and his team are the only ones who can put a stop to it. Meanwhile, the other girls of the harem are going to be joining soon so look forward to that. Until next time!


	101. Chapter 101

[132]

“Well,” Takemi walked out of her office with a clipboard, turning to Ren who was sitting on the bed without his shirt. “I think I can say with certainty that your pheromones don’t affect normal people. Sorry if that comes as a disappointment.”

Ren was relieved, but at the same time, surprised. “Wait so then how come…” He trailed off.

“Hmm?” Takemi raised an eyebrow. “Something you neglected to share?”

Ren hesitated before replying. “Lately, the women in my life have been very...affectionate. I had an ‘encounter’ at work with my boss. To call it flirting would be putting it extremely mild. Nothing happened between us! But it was pretty strange.”

“Oooh. Please elaborate.” Takemi looked interested. When her patient gave her an uncomfortable look, she relented. “Just kidding. Anyway, you think it was your pheromones that caused that interaction?”

“If it wasn’t then I don’t know what it could’ve been.” Ren stated.

“You wanna hear my theory?”

“Please.”

“You’re...kind of a stud Ren.” She gestured to his shirtless body. “You’re kind, you’re cute, you work hard, women tend to find those traits attractive. Not to mention you’re a secret superhero.”

“Y-You think I’m cute?” He looked up at her with a dusting of pink on his cheeks.

“Huh?” Takemi’s own cheeks turned red, a rare sight to see. “W-Well objectively speaking of course. Symmetrical face, long eyelashes and whatnot.” She looked away shyly.

“Thanks.” Ren replied, standing up and putting his shirt on. “F-For everything. I really appreciate it. If you ever need anything, blood or tissue samples or anything, feel free to ask. I’m a little short on cash at the moment-”

“It’s fine.” Takemi assured him. “I...I’m glad to help.” There was a moment of silence between them before Ren finally decided to leave. As he was about to walk out the front door, he stopped when he heard the doctor call out to him. “Hold on. There may be *ahem* something you can do.”

“S-Sure!” He replied, turning back around. “What is it?”

“Just...Just close your eyes.” She ordered, approaching him.

The boy complied, shutting his eyes. Before he could get out the words to ask what was about to happen, he felt the doctor’s mouth collide with his own, her tongue entering his mouth and immediately dominating his own. Accepting the kiss, he pulled the doctor close, causing her to let out a surprised gasp before clinging to him greedily.

When they finally separated to breath, Takemi let out a loud breath. “Wow. You *pant* You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“I might have some idea.” Ren replied. “I’ve...wanted that for a long time too. But, there’s something you should know. The other girls and I are in a complex situation at the moment. I’m not sure-”

“Hey, it doesn’t need to be anything too serious right now.” Takemi stopped him. “We’re both very busy people after all. But because of that, if you ever need to relieve some stress, I’m sure we could arrange something.” She smiled before walking back to her office.

“Yeah.” Ren replied softly, still breathless. As he opened the door to leave, he heard Tae’s voice call out one more time.

“Oh and Ren?” Her voice said from her office. “If you and the girls ever come to an ‘arrangement’ with your situation, let me know. I don’t mind sharing.” He could practically hear the wink she punctuated her sentence with.

Blushing heavily Ren exited the clinic and headed back to Leblanc. Maybe Futaba had an update on her search by now. As he walked the short distance between the two buildings, the teenage vigilante’s thoughts were a blur of all the sexually charged encounters he’d had in the past year. Back home, girls would never even give him the time of day, granted he was much skinnier and wore those thick glasses back then. But now? It seemed like practically every woman he met wanted to jump his bones. 

As he checked his phone, he went into his old photos and found a picture of himself from a year ago. Comparing that to himself now, it was almost like looking at a different person. His hair had grown out a bit more, his shoulders were broader, he filled out his clothes more, he’d even grown slightly taller. It was odd, he didn’t remember the change being this drastic at first, maybe it wasn’t just the spider bite that made him the way he was now. The months of fighting crime in Tokyo had also affected him just as, if not more than the initial bite itself.

As he mused over these thoughts, he finally arrived back at Leblanc where Sojiro had a steaming plate of curry waiting for him and Futaba was typing away on her laptop in one of the booths. He let out a content breath as he looked over the place that’d become his home in the last year. He was over halfway through his time here already, and honestly he had no idea what to do when it was time to leave. 

Would he just abandon the city to its devices? Act like none of this never happened? Of course not! But then again, what could he do? He was still a minor and couldn’t choose where he lived yet. And what about his parents? What would he say when-

“Hey.” Sojiro snapped him out of his thoughts, looking down at him with crossed arms. “You gonna eat your breakfast or not?”

“Oh.” Ren looked down at his plate. “Yeah, sorry about that. Thanks for the food.” He picked up a spoon and dug in. His thoughts could wait until later, he still had a few months left after all. Might as well enjoy them.

Over at Naoto’s apartment, the detective entered her living room to find the others still passed out from last night. Yukiko was lying on the couch, Chie was in the armchair, and the three guys were asleep on the floor. The only one among them who was awake was Rise, who was sitting at the kitchen counter while drinking a glass of milk.

“Morning.” Naoto greeted quietly, giving Rise a nod.

“Good morning.” She replied back. “Do you need to leave for work soon?”

“No.” Naoto leaned against the counter as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “My boss gave me the day off. He doesn’t want me pulling any more all-nighters for a while, he says it affects my work.”

“Hmm. You never change.” Rise smiled as she took another sip.

“Yeah, I guess not.”

“...”

“...”

“So about our conversation last night.” Rise began but was quickly stopped.

“I can’t tell you his name.” Naoto interrupted. “It isn’t that I don’t trust you, it’s just that it isn’t my secret to tell. Plus, I don’t think you should get involved. You’ve been through enough already as it is Rise. Just leave this to us.”

“I have a right to speak with him Naoto. He’s using my late husband’s identity, I think that gives me at least some right.” Rise argued, making sure not to raise her voice. “There are some things that I need to tell him. About Yu, about being Spider-Man, there are things Yu wanted to say, if he ever found someone like him.”

“There’s nothing you could tell him he doesn’t already know. He’s been doing this for four months now and he’s been through hell. The city, it’s nothing like Inaba. There are gang wars, monsters, psychopaths, no shortage of people who want to see him dead.” Naoto crossed her arms.

“Then at least let me warn him about Shido, if he doesn’t know then he could be in serious danger. Him and his new partner.” 

“Right, your theory.” Naoto recalled Rise’s warnings from last night. “I’ve suspected Shido Sciences myself, but what proof do you have? In my months of searching I haven’t been able to uncover anything.”

“You aren’t the only one with detective skills Naoto.” Rise replied. “I haven’t just been sitting at home crying this whole time. I hired some private investigators to look into Shido months ago. Yu had suspected him of having deep ties to the criminal underground before his death, so I’ve been looking into it on his behalf.”

“And?”

Rise’s expression sank. “They both turned up dead. But if anything, that only proves his suspicions. Shido was the only one with enough power and influence to set up the terrorist attack and hide his tracks. He’s also the only one who could’ve gotten Adachi out of the Raft and given him his serum.”

“Rise, while I do believe you that Shido’s hands are dirty, if you don’t have tangible evidence, there’s nothing we can do.” Naoto reminded her. “Not to mention, with Shido’s defense lawyers, he’s practically untouchable, above the law.”

“So what? We’re just supposed to sit on our asses and wait?” She raised her voice slightly, causing the others behind her to stir. Not wanting to wake them, she lowered her volume. “We already lost one hero, I won’t let them take two more.”

“I’ll send them your warning, but only as a precaution. If they try to go up against Shido, they’re sure to be killed.”

“Naoto, the election is weeks away. If we don’t act soon…”

“Shido will be Prime Minister.” Naoto finished for her. “I’ll...I’ll think of something Rise, don’t worry.”

The two took a break from their conversation to enjoy their drinks. The sound of birds chirping just outside sounded through the apartment.

“So…” Naoto began. “Have you told the others yet?”

“About Shido? Of course, they were there last night-” Rise looked confused.

“Not about Shido.” Naoto took a sip from her mug before setting it down. “About your pregnancy.”

Rise’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth gaping. “H-How did you know?”

“I first noticed something last night. I was too tired to really tell what it was at first, but seeing you now, it's obvious. While your belly hasn’t exactly started to show it much, your posture is slightly different than it used to be. The thing that made it most clear was that you’re drinking milk when there was a fresh pot of coffee already prepared. You always drink coffee in the morning.” The detective explained her evidence.

“I should’ve known you would be able to tell.” Rise looked down at her belly. “No, the others don’t know yet. If they did, they would’ve never let me come back to Tokyo with how dangerous it is now. I...found out shortly after going back to Inaba. The only others who know are Dojima and Nanako.”

“If I recall, the two of you tried a few years back didn’t you? The doctors said that Yu couldn’t…” She trailed off, not wanting to dig up more painful memories.

“Yeah.” Rise nodded. “I was surprised too. I guess, life finds a way right?” She let out a forced laugh before frowning. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m not ready to do this alone.”

“You aren’t alone.” The detective sat next to her friend, putting her arm around her shoulder. “You have so many people supporting you. Chie, Yukiko, Yosuke-”

“Do I have you?” Rise turned to her friend, tears building in her eyes.

Naoto’s eyes widened in surprise. “O-Of course.” Rise surprised her again by pulling the other woman into a tight hug.

“I don’t want to fight anymore. I-I know there’s always been a divide between us. Even before Yu...Look, I know you had feelings for him too. You think I stole him from you-”

“I don’t think that!” Naoto replied, a bit too loud, causing the others to stir once more. “Yu chose you. He loved you more than anything in the world, Rise. I don’t think you stole him at all.” She returned the hug as she poured out her emotions, tears beginning to form in her own eyes. “You have me too. Of course you do.”

Rise sniffed before wiping her eyes and pulling out of the hug. “Thanks, I-I’m glad.”

It was then that the others began to wake up behind them, yawning as they stretched. Seeing this the two women wiped their eyes once more before Naoto stood up and walked over to the fridge.

“Oh man.” Yosuke whined. “Why did we have to get stuck with the floor? There isn’t even one futon in this place?”

“Stop complaining Yosuke.” Chie said, throwing a pillow at his head. “You should be glad we didn’t make you sleep outside.”

“I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?” Teddie asked as he got up, his blonde hair a mess.

“Don’t be rude! You’re in someone else’s house!” Kanji reprimanded the shorter man.

“I’m already working on it.” Naoto called out, grabbing some eggs and bacon from the fridge. “Give me a few minutes.”

“Thank you so much!” Yukiko smiled before moving her gaze downward. “Um, Naoto?”

“Yeah?” The detective replied without turning around.

“That’s quite a large shirt you’re wearing. Is it yours?” She asked with a curious look.

Looking down, Naoto saw the shirt in question. A large white t-shirt with ‘I Heart Tokyo’ written on the front of it.

Ren’s shirt.

“Fuck.”

[Bonus]

“You’re sure you found the guy Futaba?” Ryuji asked as he sipped his soda.

“Would I have brought you here if I wasn’t?” Futaba replied coyly.

The rest of the team sat around Leblanc, huddled around Futaba in a booth as they all stared at her laptop. It was 10pm and they all should’ve been home right now, but a late night group message from the young girl brought them all here to see what she’d found.

“Besides, are you really surprised? This is me we’re talking about. Tracking this guy down in 24 hours was child’s play.” She lied. In reality, it had been an extremely taxing task that required her full attention. She was exhausted but her effort had paid off.

On the screen, a blurry video of a figure walking down a street played in black and white.

“This is it?” Ann asked. “I mean, what are we looking at?”

“You don’t see it?” Futaba turned to her shocked. “Here,” She rewound the video to the beginning. “Look, in the first four frames. Do you see it?” She pressed her index finger against the screen.

Taking a closer look at the video, Ren was able to see what she was pointing out. There appeared to be a small black mass that quickly sank into the figure’s back as he walked past the corner of the street.

“Are you sure it isn’t just a shadow?” Ren asked. “Or maybe something with the camera? This thing isn’t exactly 1080p.”

“Positive.” Futaba replied. “See, his shadow is over here.” She pointed to a grey spot behind the figure. “Besides, I tracked sightings of the creature through online chatter and they end close to here. I’m sure that this is him.”

“Well that’s great and all, but who are we looking for exactly?” Ryuji asked. “Can’t exactly put out an APB on a blurry man. Is it even a man?”

“Ugh, just keep watching.” Futaba scrolled to the end of the video when the figure got near the camera. When she reached the end she zoomed in the video and enhanced the picture.

“Who’s that?” Makoto squinted to get a good look.

Futaba smiled before gesturing at the screen.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you: Ace reporter, Goro Akechi”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had to open my third google doc to fit this story. Literally, the story up to this point has taken up more than 400 pages to fit. It gets to the point that I have to wait like 5 minutes for all the pages to load so I can add more, eventually it gets to be so much that there's some serious lag whenever I type. Anyways, a lotta stuff going on in this chapter, like I said, expect a lot of surprises in the future. With the whole Rise getting pregnant thing, I know I established earlier that Spider-Man can't have kids, but I'm gonna say that it doesn't work with normal humans. After years of 'intimacy' with Narukami, I would say that Rise's body probably underwent a mutation that made her enough of a match to bear a child with Yu. (She won't have any powers though. The baby however is another case...) And yes, this does mean that theoretically, Ren can have a child with Makoto since their DNA is enough of a match, but that's not really relevant, at least for now.


	102. Chapter 102

[133]

Makoto sighed as she looked out across the street from the rooftop she was sitting on. How long had she been at this? The team was currently watching Goro Akechi’s apartment, waiting for him to return. Ren had warned her that stakeouts were boring but she hadn’t expected it to be this bad. Thankfully, the team had devised a partner system to help pass the time and ensure each other’s safety.

Different group members would show up every 2 hours to keep the Spider-person on duty company. Every 8 hours, Ren and Makoto switched so the other could get some rest. Given how dangerous Akechi could be, it was a requirement that at least one of them be there at any given time. And, if the two of them were put on duty together, needless to say not a lot of spying would get gone.

Just as Makoto went to check the time on her phone, she heard the door to the roof open and turned around to see who it was. Her last partner had been Yusuke (he’d been busy painting the city the whole time) so then her next partner would be…

“Ann.” The brunette greeted the girl with a nod, noticing that she’d brought a takeout container with her.

“Hey,” The blonde greeted. “I brought crepes.” She held up the container before offering it to Makoto who graciously accepted.

“Thanks.” Makoto replied, pulling out a strawberry crepe before taking a bite.

The two of them sat quietly, chewing their food as they looked down at the street below. Makoto glanced over at the blonde before quickly looking away. This was the first time in a while that the two of them had been alone together and she didn’t really know what to say to the other girl. With everything that had happened between and Ren, the dance, their competition...What was there to say?

“Um...Hey Makoto?” Ann said, still looking over the street.

“Y-Yeah?” The girl in question turned to her. “What’s up?”

“I’ve...I’ve been thinking recently.” A sad look crossed her face. “I think I messed things up with Ren. Pretty badly at that.”

“Huh?” Makoto raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I guess he didn’t tell you then.” Ann remarked. “After our date, I brought Ren back to my place and we...yeah. He wasn’t so sure but I pressured him into it. When it was over, I asked how I was compared to you.”

Makoto didn’t say anything in reply, but her jaw was slightly agape at learning this.

“Looking back, all I could think about was competing with you. I just...I wanted to be acknowledged I guess.”

“Ann…” Makoto reached out a hand toward the other girl before hesitating.

“In truth, I’m jealous of you. I always have been.” The younger girl admitted. “You’re smarter than me, you’re stronger than me, you and Ren have way more in common…” Tears began to drop from her eyes. “I guess that’s why I wanted to be the one to take the serum so badly. I thought that maybe for once, I could beat you at something, show that I was worth something. Y’know?” She sniffed and wiped her nose.

“I-I had no idea you thought that way.”

“Of course I do, look at you!” Ann finally turned to her. “You’re perfect! You’re smart, beautiful, you have friggin superpowers! And I-I just thought, maybe if I gave it everything I had…” She looked back down. “But my jealousy got the best of me. And I ruined my chance. So if it wasn’t already obvious, I’m giving up. Looks like it’s just between you and Haru now.”

“Ann,” Makoto contemplated her next words carefully. “Do you still love Ren? I mean, do you really love him?”

“Wha?” Ann looked confused. “I’m telling you, I’m giving up! You don’t need to rub it in.”

“Do you love him?” The older girl repeated.

“Yes! Yes, I still love him! Okay!?” Ann yelled before sulking again. “Feelings like that, they don’t go away overnight.”

“Okay.” Makoto nodded. “Then I have something I’d like to propose to you.” Ann looked confused again so she continued. “Haru has...an idea. She suggested *ahem* th-that we um,” She turned away awkwardly, her cheeks red. “Share him.” She murmured.

“What?” Ann leaned toward her. “I didn’t hear you.”

“W-What would you think about sharing Ren?” Makoto turned to her and asked, a bit louder than she intended. The two girls’ faces were inches apart now and Ann’s eyes were the size of dinner plates.

“H-Huh?” She recoiled, unsure that she heard right. “Y-You want t-t-to-”

“Share him, yes.” Makoto nodded. “I know it sounds crazy, b-but Haru made a very compelling argument. I mean, this way nobody gets hurt right?” She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. “A-And maybe, instead of rivals, maybe we could be, I don’t know...teammates?”

“You’re serious? This isn’t some sort of joke right?” Ann asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

“You’d only be as involved as you want to be.” Makoto prefaced. “A-And if you decide that it isn’t for you, you can opt out at any time.”

“Wow.” Was all that Ann could muster, still reeling in shock.

“Do you think you’d be interested?”

“I...What does Ren think of all of this?” Ann asked.

“We haven’t exactly told him yet. But do you really think he’d refuse? I mean, most guys dream of this kind of thing, right?”

“Y-Yeah…” The blonde nodded, pausing to think for a moment. “Okay, I’m-I’m willing to give this a shot if you are. Let’s try it.”

Makoto smiled at the younger girl before pulling her into a tight hug which she gladly accepted. Finally, after weeks of rivalry and awkward feelings, the two of them could put aside their feud and rekindle their friendship. Even if it was somewhat unorthodox.

Meanwhile across town, Ren and the team’s other blond were on a different mission. Normally, he would be taking this time to rest after an 8 hour shift of watching Akechi’s apartment, but after 24 hours to no avail, this plan seemed to be going nowhere fast. So instead, he’d decided to gather more information from the source. Akechi’s job.

“Tokyo Bugle, looks like this is the place.” Ryuji read out the sign on the side of the building.

Sign might’ve been a bit generous of a description, the object in question was closer to a cheap banner strung out over the front of a small, cheap building that they appeared to be renting. If Ren recalled correctly, their original building had been destroyed in the original Shibuya attack back in June. From the looks of it, they weren’t getting their place back. And while he did feel bad for them, he honestly couldn’t say he was too surprised. Journalism was a dying profession after all.

Opening the door, the pair of teens were immediately bombarded by the sounds of workers rushing around the office, ringing phones, and loudest of all, a rotund, balding man barking orders at his workers.

‘Maybe it’s not as dead as I thought.’ Ren mused as he looked over the crowded office.

“Excuse me?” He tried to get the attention of a woman, but she just ran past him.

“Yo!” Ryuji yelled at a man on the phone at his desk who replied simply by flipping them off. “Dick.” He muttered in response.

“What!? Risette’s back in town? Where’s she staying?”

“The latest poll projections are in! It’s Shido’s race by a landslide!”

“He got free!? Are the police searching for him?”

The various reporters spoke to one another as the two boys walked through the office seemingly unnoticed. Seeing the balding man from earlier enter his office at the back of the room, Ren decided to speak with him. Pushing past the workers, they reached his secretary who was too busy on her phone to notice them. 

With a shrug, the teenagers entered the office and found the man they were trying to speak to sitting behind his desk with a large cigar in his mouth. According to the nameplate on the desk, his name was Toranosuke Yoshida. Ren was pretty sure this guy had a podcast badmouthing Spider-Man.

“You two the new interns?” He asked, eyeing them. “You’re late! YOU’RE FIRED! Wait, do we have anyone to go to that conference tonight? I changed my mind, you’re unfired!”

“Actually sir, we were wondering-” Ren began but was cut off.

“You, Blondie!” The man pointed at Ryuji. “You look hip, write me a section on what kids are into these days!”

“Huh!?” Ryuji was baffled. “I don’t work-”

“Frizzy Hair, you’re writing about women’s sports now! Got it?”

“Uhhh.”

“What are you two still standing here for? You expect me to hold your hand through this? We can’t employ idiots like you two! YOU’RE FIRED!”

“Sir!” Ren finally spoke up. “We’re here about one of your reporters! A guy by the name of Goro Akechi? He’s-”

“Don’t even get me started on that kid!” Yoshida’s expression turned even more bitter. “He can’t even be bothered to come into work the past week! You see him, you tell him HE’S FIRED!”

“I don’t think we’re gonna get much outta this guy.” Ryuji whispered to Ren who nodded.

“Right, thanks for all your help sir.” Ren bowed before turning to leave. “We’ll just show ourselves out.”

“Hold on!” The man called out to them, causing them to pause. “Either of you any good at photography?”

“Uhh-” Ren and Ryuji glanced at each other.

“Who am I kidding? Kids these days, you practically live on your phones! It isn’t hard, you just point the camera and shoot!” He took a puff of his cigar. “Anyways, you see the news lately? We need pictures of the thing that attacked Shido Sciences Tower the other day. You get me a picture of that and there’s a 10,000 yen reward in it for you.”

“10,000 yen?” Ryuji whistled before turning to Ren. “Not a bad offer.”

“And if you come back here without any photos, YOU’RE FIRED!” Yoshida yelled. “Now get the hell outta my office!”

They didn’t need to be told twice, quickly exiting the office and the building, the two turned to each other.

“Well, I think it's safe to say that was pretty fruitless.” Ren remarked.

“Yeah, but you can bet I’m trying to get that photo next time we see him.” Ryuji smiled before his expression became more somber. “For real though, how the hell are we supposed to catch Akechi like this? Dude’s a ghost.”

“You two are looking for Akechi?” A voice asked them from behind.

Turning around, the two came face to face with a woman with orange sunglasses and messy shoulder length brown hair pulled into a ponytail. Notably, she had a large bandage on her forehead and was unapologetically blowing cigarette smoke into their faces.

“Name’s Ohya. I think I can help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in case that description of Ohya confused you, I'm changing up her appearance a bit from how she is in-game. This description of her is more in line with her appearance in the Persona 5 concept art which, if you ask me, is vastly superior to her in-game design. Storywise, the background for this is that since losing her partner, Ohya has doubled down on drinking and taken up smoking as well as not cutting her hair. I think that these additions will make her a bit more of an interesting character and love interest than she is normally. But please let me know what you guys think. Seems like harem stuff is happening every chapter now, but I don't intend for it to overshadow the main story so maybe expect it to take a bit of a backseat soon. Until next time!


	103. Chapter 103

[134]

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Sooooo, you said you could help us find Akechi?” Ren asked as he watched the woman in front of him put away her fourth drink since they sat down.

Ichiko Ohya was an...interesting woman to say the least. Seemingly in her late 20s to early 30s, and dressed in a simple black tank top and jeans, she had a very unprofessional air about her. According to her, she was a reporter for the Tokyo Bugle and worked with Akechi up until recently when he suddenly stopped coming to work.

In response to the question, Ohya held up a finger, asking for them to wait a moment while she finished her glass.

“Ren, are you sure about this woman?” Futaba asked, her arms wrapped around one of Ren’s for comfort. The alcoholic in front of them gave her some bad vibes. Not necessarily malicious, but still not comforting.

Currently she, Ren, Ryuji, and Yusuke were sitting at one of the booths at Crossroads, the club they’d visited a few weeks ago. Ren was hesitant to come back here after last time, but Ohya had insisted.

“Ahhh.” The reporter set down her glass. “So, why don’t we get down to brass tacks?”

“Do you know where Akechi-”

“I know that you’re Spider-Man.” Ohya interrupted, her expression unreadable.

Everyone in the group’s eyes widened and their jaws dropped.

“Wh-What are you talking about?” Ren asked nervously, turning to see if anyone else was in earshot. He felt Futaba’s grip around his arm tighten. “Y-You seriously think I’m him?”

“Don’t worry I’m not gonna go blabbing.” She waved off his concern. “But yeah, I know it’s you. I’ve actually known for a while now, I just didn’t have a way to get in contact with you until now.”

“Lady, we’ve got no clue what you’re talking about!” Ryuji chimed in, slamming his fist on the table. “If you don’t know anything about Akechi, then we’re gettin’ the hell outta here!”

“I do know where he is, I just want to put all my cards on the table so there’s no secrets between us. Look, I want to help you.” She reassured them. “I owe you. Twice actually.” She looked away, seemingly remembering something painful before grabbing another drink.

Ren sighed reluctantly, watching the woman’s cheeks grow pink as she put down the glass. Could she really help them? She’d deduced his identity, seemingly by herself, so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that she could find the man they were looking for. And even though she knew his secret, she seemed well intentioned.

“Alright, so where can we find Akechi?” Ren asked. “You said you could help us with that, right?”

“Yep. He’s using a warehouse on the edge of town.” She replied casually. “Here’s the address.” She pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and slid it over to them.

“...”

“...”

“That’s it?” Ryuji asked. “Just like that?”

“Yeah?” Ohya seemed confused.

“How do you even know about this?” Futaba asked, maybe a bit too aggressively. “I searched online for days and couldn’t find anything!”

The reporter shrugged in response. “There are some things you can’t do from behind a computer. Besides, I found Akechi suspicious from the day I met him, so I decided to do a background check on him. Turns out, he’s got some serious beef with Shido, enough to try to kill him.”

“Why would a photographer have a problem with Shido? I mean, I imagine he’s got no shortage of enemies, but how do they even know each other?” Ryuji asked curiously.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Ohya smirked. “Masayoshi Shido is his father.”

“His...father?” Ren turned to Futaba who was speechless.

In a private conversation following Wakaba’s capture, Futaba had revealed to Ren the news that her mother had told her. That she was Shido’s illegitimate daughter. That had come as a shock to Ren, and he couldn’t even imagine what the younger girl was feeling.

“Well, I did a bit of digging. Goro’s mother was a prosti-” She looked over at the young girl sitting across from her. “An...escort, in a city in the countryside. Shido came by that city 19 years ago to establish a new branch for his company, and 9 months later, well you know. Some eye witness testimonies say that they spotted him forcing the woman into his car, but the police dismissed any and all claims against him.”

Ren’s eyes widened again. Why did this story sound so familiar? It couldn’t be…

“Akechi’s mother died 6 years later and her son was put in an orphanage until he graduated high school at the top of his class and moved to Tokyo.” She smirked as she took another sip of her drink. “The home of his runaway father.”

“Fuckin’ dads.” Ryuji mumbled, looking down.

“Indeed.” Yusuke added.

“And now,” Ohya continued. “He’s a giant slime monster who eats people.”

“Do you know how he got that way?” Ren asked.

“Who knows?” She shrugged. “But if you ask me, it was probably Shido Sciences. Most of the freaks in this town come outta there. No offense.” She winked at Ren.

“Yeah…”

“Well thanks for the help! Iguessit’stimeweleavenowbye!” Futaba got up and pulled Ren away.

As the team got up from the booth, Ohya watched as they left, taking a drag from her cigarette.

“You aren’t supposed to smoke in here.” A gravelly voice pointed out.

“Eh.” Ohya shrugged. “You’ll make an exception for me. Won’t you Lala?”

The club’s owner sighed. “You know, I’m surprised. I haven’t seen you do anything but drink, sleep, and smoke for weeks, but it seemed like you really helped those kids.”

“Lala…”

“I’m serious. Ever since Kayo-” Lala began.

“Don’t.” Ohya interrupted, scowling.

“No, it needs to be said. Ever since Kayo died, you’ve been on a downward spiral. You’re drinking has gotten out of hand, you’ve started smoking again, not to mention you lost your job at the Bugle.”

“Is there a point to all of this?” Ohya asked, annoyed. “Because if not, I’d like a refill.”

“My point is that I’m proud of you.” Lala smiled. “You went out of your way to help someone out. I hope that you stay on this track.”

“Oh?” The reporter smirked. “And how would you suggest I do that?” She asked sarcastically, but her eyes betrayed her real emotions. Ohya did want to change, in truth she was miserable with her life.

“You just need a good influence. Someone you can learn from. Who you can heal with.” Lala placed her drinks on a tray before walking away. “Think about it.”

“Hmm.” Ohya rested her head on her arms before turning to the exit where the teens from earlier had left. “A good influence.”

Later that night, the team was gathered outside of the warehouse, Ren and Makoto in their spider gear, Futaba piloting a drone nearby, and the others on standby just in case. If all went well, they could nab Akechi quietly with no conflict. However, knowing their track record, there was next to no chance of that happening.

“Are you sure about this Ren?” Makoto asked, loading her webshooters. “I could think of about a dozen ways that this could be a trap. Not to mention, you said the reporter who told you about this place worked with Akechi? Sounds suspicious to me.”

“I think we can trust the info.” Ren reassured her. “I got a good feeling from her.”

“Ren,” Makoto sighed. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a weakness for pretty women?”

“I never said she was pretty!” Ren said in his defense.

“Mhmm.” Makoto crossed her arms. “And was she?”

“She was...alright.” Ren admitted. While she definitely had a drinking problem among other issues, he couldn’t deny that behind all of that he saw a pretty face and a genuinely kind person.

“I rest my case.”

“Look if you’ve got a bad feeling about this, let me go in first. I can turn invisible, so I’ll be more covert on my own anyway. If I catch him, I’ll let you know. And if I die, you can say ‘I told you so’ all you want.”

“Don’t even joke about that Ren!” Makoto slapped the back of his head before turning away. “Besides, after this is over, I’ve got something to tell you.” She mumbled.

“Huh? Why not tell me now?”

Before she could respond, the two were interrupted by a buzzing noise as a small black object flew between them. In the aftermath of their battle with Mysterio, Futaba had rebuilt one of the drones from scrap as well as adding her own modifications to it. In her words, it was how she could help out the team without leaving her room.

“Hey! Are you two ready yet?” Futaba’s voice asked over the drone’s speaker. “We’re all waiting y’know! You two had better not have been banging again!”

“Oh, sorry about that.” Ren apologized sheepishly. “Just a bit of pre-mission banter. You know, spider person stuff.”

“Just try to be serious, alright?” Makoto asked.

“Okay, Beep-Boop.” He replied before jumping off the roof. “I’ll see you later!”

“What did you just call me!?”

Inside the warehouse, Akechi sat hunched in front of a small TV while eating takeout. He’d been squatting here for a while now, he had to take precautions in case his identity was revealed. It wasn’t a luxurious lifestyle, but he’d had worse accommodations. Plus, he had everything he needed here, food, a bed, a TV, and most importantly, his other half.

As he watched the news reports make out Shido and his company as victims, he saw the CEO giving an interview, pretending to mourn the loss of the guard that Akechi had killed in his escape. And even through his speech about the attack, he somehow managed to promote his campaign for Prime Minister.

“Bastard.” Akechi tossed his food at the screen. He’d suddenly lost his appetite.

“Goro.” A deep, raspy voice came from his side. As he turned to his left, he saw his symbiote’s toothy head snake its way out of his arm. “You shouldn’t waste food. If we are to kill Shido next time, we need to maintain our strength.”

“Our strength isn’t enough!” Goro argued back. “Our first attempt made that pretty goddamn clear!”

“But now we are smarter. We know he has countermeasures prepared for us. And more importantly, he is scared. That will make his brain so much more delicious!”

“Typical.” Akechi rolled his eyes. “Here I am trying to form a new plan and all you can think of is food. I swear, sometimes it feels like I’m just talking to myself!”

“Wait.” The symbiote’s head turned upwards and he began to sniff the air. “Do you smell that?”

“I swear, if you try to make us eat another dead rat-” Akechi warned.

“No. This smell, it’s...human.”

“Human?” Goro stood up, alarmed. “Is it the police?”

“Not likely. I only smell one, and there’s something different about it. Different...but familiar.”

“Well then,” Akechi let the symbiote grow around his body, growing in size and becoming an inky black color.

“Let’s greet our guest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait, I've been busy with other stuff. You ever just been writing and have a really good idea for a part, but you struggle with getting the characters from where they are now, to that part? That's what I dealt with while writing this chapter. I've got this great Venom fight scene in mind, but getting there is a bit of a challenge. Not to mention, I'm not especially good at writing action, so I probably won't be able to completely show you what I'm visualizing, but I'll do my best nonetheless. School is really kicking my ass right now, so this story hasn't been my priority for the past few days. Still, this is a fun outlet for me so I'll keep at it. Until next time!


	104. Chapter 104

[135]

“Do you think that he’s okay in there?” Makoto asked Futaba, a worried tone in her voice.

“Eh, he’ll be fine. It’s Ren!” Futaba reassured her. “I’m sure he’s handling the situation as we speak.”

Just as she finished her sentence, one of the warehouse walls burst open, revealing Ren being held by his throat by the inky black monster that was Goro Akechi.

“Guys!” Ren cried out as he struggled to break free of the large hand. “I don’t have this handled! Please help!”

“Crying out for help Spider-Man? How heroic.” The creature spoke in a deep, terrifying voice.

“What’s wrong Akechi?” Ren asked. “Not *cough* man enough to face me yourself?” He was trying to buy time for the others to close in.

“Do you really expect us to fall for such a childish taunt?” Akechi asked. “And our name is VENOM!” He punctuated the sentence by throwing the hero at his partner.

Makoto ducked out of the way as Ren sailed past her. “We don’t want to hurt you! We want to help you! Just surrender the symbiote! We’ll make sure that Shido Sciences can’t touch you!”

“You think we want this to stop?” Akechi shot a black tendril at Makoto which she narrowly dodged. “This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to us! We’re finally whole!”

“Us?” Makoto asked. “What are you-AGH!” She was interrupted as she was thrown through the warehouse wall.

“I don’t wish to kill you...yet.” Venom spoke to them. “Leave us alone! There’s only one man we wish to kill!”

“Sorry pal, no can do!” Ren decloaked, appearing on Akechi’s shoulders before placing his hands on the sides of the monster’s head. “This won’t kill you, buuuut…” He said right before sending his bioelectricity through his fingertips.

“GAHHH!” Venom cried out, the black goo around his head began to disperse, revealing a head of long brown hair. “GET OFF!” His large right hand grabbed Ren by the arm before tossing him away.

“Well, he certainly didn’t like that.” Makoto pointed out as she got up from the rubble.

“They never do.” Ren replied, doing the same.

“I changed my mind.” Akechi said, his symbiote forming around his head again. “I do want to kill you.” His jagged teeth formed a malicious smile.

“Oh boy. I think I made him mad.”

“You think!?” Makoto turned to him.

Just as Venom was about to attack them, loud music suddenly blared through the air, causing the beast to cry out in pain. Akechi clutched at his ears, screaming as the symbiote pulled away from his body, stretching out in every direction. Looking up, Ren and Makoto spotted Futaba’s drone up above them shortly before the music cut out.

“Hurry up and get him! This drains the battery like crazy!” Futaba’s voice yelled at them over the speaker.

Makoto reacted quickly, firing a webline at an exposed part of Akechi before pulling hard on the line. The boy was pulled toward her, but the symbiote fought back, recovering from the sonic attack from earlier. Seeing the girl struggle, Ren grabbed the line as well, doubling the strength on their end.

Just as they were about to get the reporter free of the black substance, a tendril snaked its way up and suddenly formed a pair of jaws before biting down on the line. With the webline severed, Ren and Makoto fell back onto the ground while Akechi was reabsorbed by the symbiote.

“No!” Ren cried out as he watched Venom’s form regenerate.

“You almost had me there.” He commended them before turning toward the drone above him. “You saw my weakness earlier and came prepared. But the same trick won’t work twice.” He shot a tendril from one of his arms at the flying object.

Futaba narrowly steered the drone away from the tendril. Before Akechi could get another shot, Ren sprinted at him, tackling the large creature to the ground.

“Fu-Alibaba!” He cried out. “Get back! We can’t lose the drone!” As he finished speaking, he turned to the villain beneath him and charged up his hands with the blue electricity. Just as he finished charging, two more tendrils shot out from Venom’s chest, wrapping themselves tightly around Ren’s wrists.

“I told you. The same trick won’t work twice.” Venom smiled before punching him in the ribs. An audible crack echoed from Ren’s body as he went limp. The 8 foot monster pushed itself back up using the tendrils on its back, widening its jaw to engulf the hero’s head.

As it was about to bite down, Venom was caught off guard when Ren’s hands turned toward its face and blasted it with webbing. Suddenly blinded and unable to move its mouth, the creature tore at the webbing with one of its hands. After freeing itself a moment later, Venom’s eyesight returned, only now Spider-Man was nowhere to be seen.

“What!?” 

“Fooled ya.” A voice said from directly in front of it. Before Akechi could react, a sudden blow to the back of his head sent him falling forward, unintentionally releasing the invisible hero in his grip.

As Ren picked himself up off the concrete, Makoto landed at his side having just roundhouse kicked the monster. “Warn me next time you’re about to do something stupid!” She chided him.

“I think it’s a fair assessment to say that I’m constantly about to do something stupid.” He replied, flinching in pain as he clutched his side.

“Are you okay?” Makoto asked, worried.

“A few cracked, possibly broken ribs.” He replied, taking a deep breath. “Nothing I haven’t had before.”

“That’s hardly encouraging.” She rolled her eyes before turning back to Venom as he got up, more enraged than ever. “What’s our next move? We can’t just attack it blindly.”

“Well, there goes my plan.” Ren joked. “But really, I don’t know. He’s more clever than he looks. We’re gonna need some new tricks if we’re gonna separate him from that thing. Any ideas?”

“Working on it.” Makoto replied. As both parties prepared for their next move, the sound of sirens nearby interrupted them. “Huh, guess someone alerted the cops.”

“Well, we weren’t exactly fighting him quietly.” Ren remarked.

Meanwhile, Akechi cried out in pain once again by the loud noise. Fortunately for him, the sound wasn’t enough to disrupt the symbiote’s connection with him, but it sure wasn’t pleasant. Letting out a grunt, he turned back to the two vigilantes who had attacked and bared his teeth. His vision was turning red and his only thoughts were of killing the two before him.

“I uh, I think that pissed him off.”

“We need to get out of here.” Makoto said just as Venom began to charge at them. The two took off, trying to get away from the enraged beast.

“I know I said the ribs weren’t a big deal,” Ren said. “But I don’t exactly think I can swing at the moment!”

Just as he said that, a blue van pulled in front of the two of them, its tires screeching as it swerved 180 degrees. The back door burst open with Ryuji and Ann behind them, ushering the two heroes inside.

“Get in!” Ryuji cried, helping Ren step into the vehicle as Ann did the same for Makoto. Futaba’s drone flew into the van as well, landing at their feet.

“Don’t forget about me!” Her voice said over the speaker. “The battery’s almost dead already. This thing can’t fly for much longer.”

“Hold on!” Haru yelled from the driver’s seat.

When everyone was in, she floored the gas pedal, causing everyone to lurch forward as the van took off. With the back doors still open, the team watched as the black creature pursued after them viciously.

“Holy shit!” Ryuji yelled as he slammed the doors shut. “You guys seriously pissed him off!”

While Ren and the others sat in the back, Makoto climbed past the others into the empty passenger seat next to Haru. “Where are we going?” She asked.

“Away from here.” Haru responded.

“And then?”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet!” She said as she took a sharp right turn down the nearest street, the tires squealing beneath them.

“Uh guys?” Morgana poked his head into the front. “That thing’s gaining on us.”

Haru adjusted the rearview mirror and spotted an inky mass with teeth chasing after them on all fours. From the look of things, Morgana was right. Even at their top speed, it was quickly closing the gap between them. At the moment, there was only about 20 meters between it and them.

“We’re gonna have to think of something fast! Is there anywhere we can go to lose this thing?” Morgana asked.

“There’s gotta be one somewhere!” Makoto said as she searched through the glove box. This truck was a rental, so it was probably used a lot by tourists. And if that was the case…”Found it!” She exclaimed as she pulled down the visor, causing a map of the city to fall into her lap.

Meanwhile in the back, Ryuji and Ann watched anxiously as the monster that was Goro Akechi gained on them.

“Can we slow him down somehow?” Ann asked, turning to Ren who was still lying on the floor.

“Yeah just...just give me a second.” Ren responded, clearly in more pain than he let on. Getting up, he looked at the two of them. “Open the door.”

Nodding, the two blondes each grabbed a door before swinging them open. Ren meanwhile, changed the dial on his webshooter before aiming it, not at their pursuer, but at the ground beneath them. With a press of his fingers, a spray of webbing coated the road, causing a sticky roadblock behind the van.

“Nice!” Ryuji cheered. “That oughta slow him down!”

However, as Venom neared the obstacle, he noticed the incoming trap and jumped off of the road, clinging to a nearby building before bounding across the side of the wall at more or less the same speed as before.

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” Ryuji cried out. Suddenly he was caught off guard when a tendril shot out from the creature, latching onto the door the blond teenager was holding before tearing it off of its hinges. Ryuji was almost taken with it, had it not been for Ren shooting a web from his other hand to catch him and pull him back.

“Holy shit.” Ren breathed a sigh of relief. “Too close.”

“Th-Thanks man.” Ryuji said, still reeling in shock from what had just occurred.

“Can this thing go any faster!?” Ann shouted up to the front, watching as Akechi continued to gain on them.

“NO!” Haru and Makoto shouted back before turning back to the road.

As she examined the map, an idea suddenly struck Makoto and she looked at Haru. “Turn right here!”

“Here!?” Haru’s eyes widened. They were nearly past the turn already. If she swerved the wheel now, the car would likely tip. And if she slowed down, that thing would be on them in no time.

“HERE!” Makoto yelled as she shot a web past Haru’s head, out the driver side window, and onto a lamppost. As the line was pulled taut, the van made a hard right, pushing everyone inside into one another as it tipped.

Luckily, the line held and the van successfully made the turn and righted itself before Makoto cut it. The team let out a collective breath of relief as they continued down the road.

“Where is it we’re going?” Haru more demanded than asked.

“You’ll see when we get there.” Makoto replied, still looking at the map. “Take a left!”

“Where could it possibly be that we’re safe from THAT!?” Morgana pointed to the creature which was now easily visible thanks to the missing door.

Venom was close enough now that it could nearly reach them with its arm. Its tendrils had wrapped around the sides of the van to ensure it couldn’t get away. Ren, Ryuji, and Ann were all screaming as it unhinged its jaw in preparation to eat them. The two blondes each clung to one of Ren’s arms in fear as they screamed.

Suddenly, Venom’s pink tongue shot out to grab them all and pull them in. Reacting quickly, Ren pushed his friends aside to safety just as the tongue wrapped around his neck.

“SPIDER-MAN!” It yelled as the tongue retracted, pulling Ren’s head toward its mouth.

As a last ditch resort, Ren shot a web out to the only thing he could grab. The drone. Pulling it into his hand, he grabbed the mechanical object before shoving it directly into the creature’s mouth.

“FUTABA!” He yelled, hoping she understood.

Luckily, the girl got the message. And using the last of the drone’s power, she blasted the speakers loudly once more.

Venom screamed in pain, his tendrils releasing the vehicle as he fell to the ground in pain. The van quickly put some distance between it and them as they continued to tear down the street heading for who knows where.

The victory was short-lived however, as the battery of the drone quickly died, allowing Akechi to recover his form. When he did, his large teeth tore the drone apart in anger before he resumed his chase.

“One more right and we’re there.” Makoto said.

“Would you care to finally explain where it is we’re going?” Yusuke asked from his seat.

“You’re about to see.” She replied.

True to her word, when they made the final turn, the entire group saw where it was they were heading. They stared in awe at the large constructions before them. The area was closed for the night, but that wouldn’t be stopping them.

As they tore through the metal fencing at the gate, Ren and the others in the back watched as they passed the front sign of the park that read:

‘Denstinyland.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a fun chapter to write. Originally, I was planning for the fight between Ren, Makoto, and Venom to last longer and the chase scene to be shorter, but I thought that the chase scene was better and more dynamic. This is going to sound weird, but do any of you guys remember the second live action Scooby-Doo movie? (I have no idea how old you guys are. It's possible that it's older than you are. God I feel old.) That movie happened to be on while I was writing and the chase scene in the Mystery Machine was my inspiration for this, as well as that part in Homecoming where Peter steals Flash's car. (Ideas can come from the weirdest places, right?) Anyways, the fight scene I have planned is going to take place in Destinyland, the Persona world's version of Disneyland, so expect some fun dynamic scenes involving different rides and stuff. Anyways, until next time!


	105. Chapter 105

[136]

14 years ago:

“Look Mommy!” Goro Akechi held up a sheet of paper excitedly. “Look what I drew for you!” On the sheet was a crayon drawing of a small stick figure holding hands with a taller one with the word ‘Mom’ scrawled above it.

“That’s nice sweetie.” His mother responded tiredly from the couch, not bothering to look at him. “Mommy’s had a tough day and is going to lie down for a bit. Can you go play in your room for a bit?”

“Oh…” The four year old responded, lowering his drawing, his enthusiasm quickly draining. “Okay.” He walked toward the door in their cramped home that led to his bedroom. Glancing at his mom once more, he saw that she’d already fallen asleep on the couch.

With a sigh, he opened the door and entered his bedroom. Inside the small room was an air mattress, a small dresser, and a handful of toys and books lying on the dirty wooden floor. Goro didn’t enjoy playing very much, instead preferring to spend his time reading the books he could get his hands on. According to his teacher, he was already reading at a level of kids twice his age, a fact he proudly shared with his mom, only to get a similar response to earlier.

As he sat down on his mattress with his head in his hands, he noticed something odd out of the corner of his eye. Sitting between the pages of ‘Robin Hood’, a book he’d gotten during his last trip to the library, there was a corner of a thin object peeking out. Reaching for the object, he pulled it out to reveal a thin book with a colorful cover featuring a man in a bright blue suit and red cape flying over a city.

“Suu...Superman?” He sounded out the words on the front which were written in English.

Intrigued, he opened the book and began to read, immediately entranced by the incredible actions that the costumed man was able to perform. Lifting cars, stopping bad guys, rescuing civilians, he was amazing! Finishing the comic with a new light in his eyes, Goro couldn’t but imagine himself with those amazing powers, saving people with a smile.

A true hero.

Present:

As soon as Akechi spotted the van he was searching for lying stationary, he leapt at it ferociously, tearing through the metal as if it were tissue paper. Only, when he reached the inside, he discovered the vehicle to be empty of any occupants.

“GODDAMMIT!” He cried as he tore the rest of the van apart in a blind rage.

When he finally finished, Akechi was panting heavily, finally having come down from his rage. His tunnel vision began to fade, allowing him to gain awareness of his surroundings. Looking around him in the dark was a series of large metal constructions bent in odd, weaving and spiraling shapes.

“Goro.” A voice sounded inside the young reporter’s head. “Where are we? What are these things?”

‘An...amusement park?’ Akechi thought. ‘Why would they come here? Where-’

Before he could finish his thought, large flood lights suddenly lit up the park, bringing the attractions further into view. Despite this however, there was still no sign of the teens that he’d been chasing. The moment after the lights came on, the various sounds of the park whirred to life, playing the Destinyland theme music throughout the empty park. The sounds of the overly cheery music sung by children echoing off of the walls gave off an eerie, creepy feeling that Akechi didn’t like in the slightest.

As he walked through the empty park, listening to the song continue on a loop, Akechi spotted a silhouette run past him and around a corner.

‘There!’ He thought as he began to pursue the shadow. “When I get my hands on you-” He paused as he rounded the corner, coming to a dead end with nothing but a statue of a cartoon bear with blue fur and a red suit smiling and waving at him.

“Hey kids!” A speaker from the base of the statue played out. “It’s your bear-st pal Teddy! Have a great day and don’t claws any mischief!”

With a growl of contempt, Akechi sharpened one of his claws and used it to lob the head of the statue before walking away.

“Remember to visit your local Junes!” The headless bear called after him.

“They’re definitely here.” The symbiote assured its host. “I can smell them. But the air here is polluted with *sniff* *sniff* grease and *sniff* sweat...I can’t track them unless we get closer.”

“Do we know how many?” Akechi asked.

“Earlier I smelled...six? Maybe seven. Only two spiders, the rest are normal humans.”

“Normal?” He couldn’t help but chuckle. “This will be easier than I thought.”

13 years ago:

“What’s wrong Akechi?” The teacher asked as her student sat quietly at his desk. “It’s your turn to share. What is it that your parents do for a living?”

The 5 year old looked around at the other students staring at him, whispering amongst each other. Instead of responding, the young boy put his head in his arms, hiding away from the others.

“...Okay then.” The teacher clapped her hands together. “Why don’t we move on then?”

Later at recess, while the other kids played with each other on the jungle gym, Akechi sat alone reading a comic book. Of all of the different heroes, Superman was his favorite. A superpowered alien in disguise as a mild-mannered reporter, he loved everything about the character. During arts and crafts, he would draw pictures of himself as the hero and at night he would dream of flying over the city as its protector.

*PTUNK* The sound of a rubber ball colliding with the boy’s head echoed across the playground as he fell to the ground.

“Ow!” Akechi rubbed the side of his head as he pushed himself up off of the ground.

As he did so, a group of kids walked over to him to retrieve their ball, the biggest and meanest of the group standing above him.

“Hey loser! You’re reading? You think you’re so damn smart?”

“W-What?” Goro looked up at them, confused. As he turned toward the teachers who were supposed to be watching the students, he saw one of them glance over at him and the others before turning away to resume their conversation.

“W-What?” One of the other boys repeated him mockingly. “Isn’t he the kid who doesn’t bring lunch to school?”

“Oh really?” The large boy in the center smiled. “Guess he must be pretty hungry then.” He grabbed Goro by the hair and shoved his face into the dirt.

“Eat up!”

Present:

“RAUUUUGH!” Venom roared as his teeth dug into the steel bars separating him from his prey. The metal gate creaked as it strained under the weight of his bite, quickly buckling under the pressure. “I will eat you PIECE BY PIECE!”

“Holy crap dude!” Ryuji yelled as he and Yusuke ran in terror from the creature. The two of them had only barely managed to close the gate to the concession stand before Akechi escaped. “I hate this fucking plan!”

“I know.” Yusuke replied breathlessly. “We just need to lead him into position. From there, the others should be able to do their parts.”

Ryuji turned to his friend and saw him breathing heavily. Unlike him, Yusuke wasn’t built for exercise, in fact, it wouldn’t surprise the blond to hear that this was his first time running. The point they needed to reach was still a long distance from here and Ryuji wasn’t so sure that his friend would make it. Looking around, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye and stopped.

“Ryuji?” Yusuke stopped running as well, looking at his friend curiously. “What is it?” Before the artist could say anything else, he was forced into an alleyway before being shoved into a large metallic object. A dumpster. “What are you doing? This is disgusting!” Yusuke complained as he wiped the trash off of himself.

“He’s tracking our scents, right? Stay here and rub some more trash on yourself. I’ll lead him into position by myself.”

“What!? Ryuji that’s insane!” Yusuke protested, trying to climb out only to be pushed back in by the stronger blond.

“Stay.” Was all he said before running back onto the main path.

“Ryuji! Don’t do this!” Yusuke called out, only to be ignored. “There are used diapers in here!”

“C’mon legs, don’t fail me now.” The former track star said to himself as he looked at his bad knee. The one that Kamoshida had broken. Just as he finished speaking, he saw Venom breaking out of his confinement, angrier than ever. “Oh boy.” He said before taking off toward the target area.

Makoto had explained her plan to them shortly after they arrived in the park. After ensuring that Futaba could take control of the park’s various systems, they’d put the plan in motion. Haru and Morgana had already done their job, breaking into the security office to give Futaba control to the mainframe as well as the camera system. And Ren, Makoto, and Ann were currently where Ryuji was heading to, making preparations for the final phase of the plan. 

That just left him, the bait. If he messed up and got caught, not only would he die, but the plan would fail as well. Everything was hinging on him right now. No pressure or anything, right?

“Alright you fucking goo monster.” He said as he took off toward his goal. 

“Let’s have ourselves a race.”

12 years ago

Goro raced home from school excitedly, clutched in his right hand was a birthday card he’d gotten signed by his entire class. And in his math quiz today, he’d gotten a 100 percent, the best in the class!

“Hi Mrs. Hanjo!” He waved, greeting his elderly neighbor who was watering her lawn.

“Oh, hello Goro.” She waved back. “You seem especially chipper today.”

“It’s my birthday today!” He replied with a smile, showcasing a few of his missing baby teeth.

“Well, happy birthday!” She smiled back. “How old are you now?”

“Six!” He said, holding up the appropriate amount of fingers.

“Oh my, you’re getting to be quite big, aren’t you? Before you know it, you’ll be a full grown man with a job and kids!”

“I’m not that old!” He laughed before looking over to his house. “I’ve gotta go now. Have a good day!” He waved goodbye before running home.

As he walked in the door, he took off his shoes and backpack setting them in the cubby next to the doorway. Mom would always yell at him when he forgot to move them, saying she could trip and hurt herself, so he made sure to put them away safely.

“Mom?” He called out, not receiving a response. “Mooooom?”

Usually, whenever he got home, Goro’s mom would be resting on the couch or making dinner in the kitchen. Since she worked at night, he got to see her for a few hours before she left. In the mornings, if she was here, she’d be fast asleep on the couch when he left for school.

Entering the kitchen, he didn’t see his mom in there either. Though one thing did stand out to him. Sitting on the kitchen table was a surprise for the boy, a plate of his favorite food in the whole world.

On his last birthday, Goro’s mother hadn’t been able to afford an actual cake for him. Instead, she made him the next best thing she could, (and one of the only things she knew how to make) pancakes. Topped with whip cream, chocolate chips, and syrup, it was the greatest thing Goro had ever tasted! And it was because of this that he requested pancakes for every birthday thereafter.

As he looked at the tantalizing treat in front of him, drooling at the mouth, he noticed a drop of water splash onto the plate. Then another. And another. Looking up, he spotted the source of the dripping, a large wet spot on the ceiling. Curious, and still wondering where his mother was, Goro decided to go upstairs to check it out.

“Mom?” He called out as he reached the top of the steps. He still received no response, but now he could hear the water running in the bathroom across the hall.

Walking toward the door, the young boy tripped and fell when something rolled out from under his foot. When he landed on the hardwood floor beneath him, Akechi felt a splinter go into the side of his arm. Turning to see what he’d tripped on, he spotted a large, empty green bottle rolling on its side.

“Mom!” He got up, holding his left arm and ran to the bathroom door, knocking on it. “I got a splinter! Mom!”

Still receiving no response, he waited at the door, thinking what to do. His mom had taught him never to open the bathroom door without knocking and waiting for her first. But this was an emergency! The sliver of wood in his arm stung badly as he continued to knock with his other.

“Mom!” He called out, hopping up and down impatiently. He only came to a stop when his foot splashed in a small puddle of water. Looking down, he saw that the water was coming out from under the bathroom door.

Finally reaching for the doorknob, he turned it and opened the door to reveal his mother, the woman who had raised him, lying in the bathtub with her wrists slit open and blood pouring out. Her foggy, unfocused eyes turned directly toward him.

“M-Mom?”

A phone call to the police and a few hours later, the Akechi household was filled with police officers and other emergency services.

“What a display.” The detective said looked at the corpse in the bathtub as the medical team prepared a body bag. “Can you imagine? Coming home to see that?”

“Yeah, disgusting.” The younger officer next to him sneered at the pale corpse.

It was then that the two of them heard a sniffle from nearby. Turning their heads, they saw the source of the noise as a small boy peeking out from a doorway shut himself in.

“Jesus! The kid is still here!?” The detective exclaimed in surprise, turning to the other officers present. “Someone go handle it!”

“Have the rookie do it.” An older man suggested, taking a sip of his coffee. “Not like he’s busy with anything else.”

“Oh come on guys!” The young officer protested. “I’m no good with kids!”

“Too bad, go handle it or I’ll have you on desk duty for the next 3 months.” The detective ordered.

Grumbling, the young officer walked to the door and opened it up, revealing a young boy sitting in the dark on what was presumably his mother’s bed, a twin sized mattress on the floor. The boy’s long brown hair hung over his forehead, obscuring his eyes, but the tear stains on his red cheeks were a clear indicator of how he was feeling.

“Hey there uhh, buddy.” The officer said awkwardly, approaching the mattress. “Rough day huh?”

The boy didn’t respond, only reaching up to wipe the tears from his eyes.

“You got a name?”

“...G-Goro.” The young boy responded softly.

“Nice, that’s a manly name if I’ve ever heard one.” The young officer chuckled, before looking out the open door to see the corpse being removed from the tub. “Hey Goro, you wanna know a secret?”

“Huh?” The young boy looked up at him with a perplexed look. “What?”

“All of this,” He turned back toward the door, ensuring that no one was paying them any attention. “All of this is your fault.”

“W-What?” A look of sadness and confusion came over him. “M-My fault?”

“That’s right.” The young officer nodded. “Your fault. You see Goro, your mom was a dirty whore. You know what that means? It means that she had sex with strangers for money. You were an accident that came from one of those strangers, and because of that, you ruined her life.”

“I...I was an accident?” Tears began to stream from Goro’s face once again. “I ruined her life?”

“You sure did bud.” The officer patted him on the back. “But that’s okay, she’s dead now so it doesn’t matter. You can’t hurt her any more.”

“H-Hurt her?” Goro’s voice cracked. As he turned to look out the door, he was shocked when his gaze once again met the glassy eyes of his mother as she was zipped up into a bag. Immediately, the six year old began to bawl his eyes out once again, loudly crying out.

“Jesus, Adachi!” The detective entered the room in an attempt to quiet the boy down. “What the hell did you say to him?”

“I told you, I’m no good with kids.” The young officer replied, shrugging.

“Are you alright son?” The detective asked, but couldn’t get through to the boy as he continued to weep. Instead, deciding to pick the small boy up, the detective carried him out of the house. “Let’s get you to the station. Do you have anyone you can call?”

It was dark out when they made it outside. As was carried out the front door, Goro saw the rest of his neighbors standing outside, gossiping amongst one another. When his eyes met with Ms. Hanjo’s, the elderly woman bit her lip and turned away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Later, at the police station, Goro sat alone on a chair next to the detective’s desk. Sitting on top of it, amongst the pens and paperwork, a nameplate that read ‘Dojima’ was visible. As he quietly waited for the detective to return, the boy overheard a nearby conversation by two passing officers.

“So she wrote out ‘Shido’ in her own blood?” The officer asked the other one. “Why the hell would she do that? Not like it was a murder, that much is clear.”

“Yeah plus, no one goes by that last name around here. Only one I could think of would be that famous tech mogul. But why would she bring him up?”

“Dunno. Not like we’re getting paid to look into it so who gives a shit, right?”

“Ha, yeah.”

The two of them laughed as they walked out of earshot, unaware that a third party had been listening in.

“Shido.” Goro repeated the name they’d said. Apparently his mother’s last word before her death. What it meant, he had no idea, but he had to find out. He owed his mother that much, especially if what the officer from earlier had said was true. Had he really been an accident? Had he really ruined his mother’s life? 

Was all of this...his fault?

Present:

“ShitshitshitshitSHIT!” Ryuji cried out as he ran through the network of support beams beneath one of the amusement park’s roller coasters. Just behind him, the large figure of Venom tailed closely behind him, only slightly impeded by the obstacles. However, rather than maneuvering through them, the hulking beast merely bent the steel beams out of his way.

High above them, the creaking of metal could be heard as more and more support beams began to bend, causing the structure above to lean in a way it wasn’t meant to. Quickly, the creaking noises grew in volume until the roller coaster itself came tumbling down.

“Holy shit.” Ryuji gasped in horror as he watched the large structure falling toward him and his pursuer. With one final burst of speed, he took off as fast as he could to get out of the way. His destination was just ahead of him, if he could just run a bit further-

*BOOM*

The ground shook and a wave of dust flew out as the large mass of metal came in contact with the concrete causing untold damage to the park. Hopefully, if Ryuji survived this, he wouldn’t be the one getting stuck with the bill.

When the cloud of dust finally cleared up, the blond delinquent found himself curled up on the ground with his hands over his head. Shockingly, despite being so close to the area of impact, he hadn’t been hit by any debris and was completely uninjured.

“Wha-?” Ryuji looked over the wreckage of the theme park ride behind him. From what he could see, his pursuer from earlier was nowhere to be found. This was both relieving and unnerving, on the one hand, it meant he was no longer being chased, but on the other, if Akechi was still around, Ryuji had just lost sight of him.

As it would turn out, he didn’t need to worry much on that front, as a roar from behind the blonde quickly revealed Akechi’s location. Turning to meet the sound, Ryuji caught sight of the creature just as it was about to remove his head from his body with a hand of sharpened claws. That would have spelled the end for the former track star if it hadn’t been for the webline that suddenly attached itself to his back, yanking him out of the way just in time to avoid the incoming strike.

“Cutting it a little close there, don’tcha think?” Ryuji asked, rubbing the back of his head.

“Where’s Yusuke?” Ren asked, ignoring the question.

“He’s safe. I didn’t want to risk his life too, so I came alone.” He responded, turning to look at Venom. “Are you guys ready on your end?”

“Yeah.” Ren replied, looking at the beast as well. “Good job getting him here.”

“Now the plan can really begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's going up a little early because I'm busy later tonight. Big chapter today am I right? I wanted to add more to Akechi's backstory so I decided to make them half of the chapter. If you noticed that this format is similar to when we covered Ren's backstory with his uncle, that's intentional. In P5 Joker and Akechi are foils to one another which is a vital part of their characters, I wanted to maintain that for this story so I decided to add it in here. And yes, in this AU Akechi grew up in Inaba and met Adachi and Dojima, this is 4 years before Narukami shows up and becomes Spider-Man. In case you forgot, Adachi was the Green Goblin in this AU, and I wanted him to play a part in shaping Goro into who he is today as well as showing that he was a monster long before becoming the Goblin. The final battle comes next chapter so I hope you guys are looking forward to it! Let me know what you think in the comments!


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